When it was the Forty-first night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Ghanim son of Ayyub arrived with the chest at his house，he opened it and took out the young lady，who looked about her and，seeing that the place was handsome，spread with carpets and dight with cheerful colours and other deckings；and noting the stuffs up piled and packed bales and other else than that，knew that he was a substantial merchant and a man of much money. There upon she uncovered her face and looked at him，and lo！ he was a fair youth；so when she saw him she loved him and said，'O my lord，bring us something to eat.''On my head and mine eyes！'replied he；and，going down to the bazar，bought a roasted lamb and a dish of sweetmeats and with these dry fruits and wax candles，besides wine and whatsoever was required of drinking materials，not forgetting perfumes. With all this gear he returned to the house；and when the damsel saw him she laughed and kissed him and clasped his neck. Then she began caressing him，which made his love wax hotter till it got the mastery of his heart. They ate and drank and each had conceived the fondest affection；for indeed the two were one in age and one in loveliness；and when night came on Ghanim bin Ayyub，the Distraught，the Thrall o'Love，rose and lit the wax candles and lamps till the place blazed with light；[107] after which he produced the wine service and spread the table. Then both sat down again，he and she，and he kept filling and giving her to drink，and she kept filling and giving him to drink，and they played and toyed and laughed and recited verses；whilst their joy increased and they dove in closer love each to each （glory be to the Uniter of Hearts！）. They ceased not to carouse after this fashion till near upon dawn when drowsiness overcame them and they slept where they were，apart each from other，till the morning.[108] Then Ghanim arose and going to the market，bought all they required of meat and vegetables and wine and what not，and brought them to the house；whereupon both sat down to eat and ate their sufficiency，when he set on wine. They drank and each played with each，till their cheeks flushed red and their eyes took a darker hue and Ghanim's soul longed to kiss the girl and to lie with her and he said，'O my lady，grant me one kiss of that dear mouth：
per chance 't will quench the fire of my heart.''O Ghanim，'replied she，'wait till I am drunk and dead to the world；then steal a kiss of me，secretly and on such wise that I may not know thou hast kissed me.'Then she rose and taking off her upper dress sat；in a thin shift of fine linen and a silken head kerchief.[109] At this passion inflamed Ghanim and he said to her，'O my lady，wilt thou not vouchsafe me what I asked of thee？''By Allah，'she replied，'that may not be thine，for there is written upon my trouser string[110] a hard word！'Thereupon Ghanim's heart sank and desire grew on him as its object offered difficulties；and he improvised these verses，'I asked the author of mine ills To heal the wound with one sweet kiss：
No！ No！ she cried，[111] for ever no！But I，soft whispering，urged yes：
Quoth she，Then take it by my leave，When smiles shall pardon thine amiss：
By force，cried I？Nay，she replied With love and gladness eke I wis.
Now ask me not what next occurred Seek grace of God and whist of this！
Deem what thou wilt of us，for love By calumnies the sweeter is Nor after this care I one jot Whether my foe be known or not.'
Then his affection increased and love fires rose hotter in his heart，while she refused herself to him saying，'Thou canst not possess me.'They ceased not to make love and enjoy their wine and wassail，whilst Ghanim was drowned in the sea of love and longing；but she redoubled in coyness and cruelty till the night brought on the darkness and let fall on them the skirts of sleep.
Thereupon Ghanim rose and lit the lamps and wax candles and refreshed the room and removed the table；then he took her feet and kissed them and，finding them like fresh cream，pressed his face[112] on them and said to her，'O my lady，take pity on one thy love hath ta'en and thine eyes hath slain；for indeed I were heart whole but for thy bane！'And he wept somewhat. 'O my lord，and light of my eyes，'quoth she，'by Allah，I love thee in very sooth and I trust to thy truth，but I know that I may not be thine.''And what is the obstacle？'asked he；when she answered，'Tonight I will tell thee my tale，that thou mayst accept my excuse.'Then she threw herself upon him and winding her arms like a necklace about his neck，kissed him and caressed him and promised him her favours；and they ceased not playing and laughing till love get the firmest hold upon both their hearts.
And so it continued a whole month，both passing the night on a single carpet bed，but whenever he would enjoy her，she put him off；whilst mutual love increased upon them and each could hardly abstain from other. One night，as he lay by her side，and both were warm with wine Ghanim passed his hand over her breasts and stroked them；then he slipped it down to her waist as far as her navel. She awoke and，sitting up，put her hand to her trousers and finding them fast tied，once more fell asleep. Presently，he again felt her and sliding his hand down to her trouser string，began pulling at it，whereupon she awoke and sat upright. Ghanim also sat up by her side and she asked him，'What dost thou want？'
'I want to lie with thee，'he answered，'and that we may deal openly and frankly with each other.'Quoth she，'I must now declare to thee my case，that thou mayst know my quality；then will my secret be disclosed to thee and my excuse become manifest to thee.'Quoth he，'So be it！'Thereat she opened the skirt of her shift and taking up her trouser string，said to him，'O my lord，read what is worked on the flat of this string：'so he took it in hand，and saw these words broidered on it in gold，'I AM THINE，AND THOU ART MINE，O COUSIN OF THE APOSTLE！'[113]
