"O my lord，" rejoined the other， "what is that？" "Take these three hundred dinars，" answered the Vizier. When the keeper heard speak of the dinars， he said， "O my lord， do what thou wilt." So the Vizier gave him the money， saying， "God willing， we will work a good work in this place." Then they left the garden and returned to their lodging， where they passed the night. Next day，the Vizier sent for a plasterer and a painter and a skilful goldsmith， and furnishing them with all the tools and materials that they required， carried them to the garden， where he bade them plaster the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with various kinds of paintings. Then he sent for gold and ultramarine and said to the painter， "Paint me on the wall， at the upper end of the saloon， a fowler， with his nets spread and birds lighted round them and a female pigeon fallen into the net and entangled therein by the bill. Let this fill one compartment of the wall，and on the other paint the fowler seizing the pigeon and setting the knife to her throat， whilst the third compartment of the picture must show a great hawk seizing the male pigeon， her mate，and digging his talons into him." The painter did as the Vizier bade him， and when he and the other workmen had finished， they took their hire and went away. Then the Vizier and his companions took leave of the gardener and returned to their lodging， where they sat down to converse. And Taj el Mulouk said to Aziz， "O my brother， recite me some verses： haply it may dilate my breast and dispel my sad thoughts and assuage the fire of my heart." So Aziz chanted the following verses：
All that they fable lovers feel of anguish and despite， I in myself comprise， and so my strength is crushed outright；
And if thou seekst a watering-place， see， from my streaming eyes，Rivers of tears for those who thirst run ever day and night.
Or， if thou fain wouldst look upon the ruin passion"s hands Can wreak on lovers， let thy gaze upon my body light.
And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these verses also：
Who loves not the necks and the eyes of the fair and pretends，forsooth， To know the delight of the world， God wot， he speaks not the truth For in love is a secret meaning that none may win to know Save he who has loved indeed and known its wrath and ruth.
May God not lighten my heart of passion for her I love Nor ease my eyelids， for love， of wakefulness in my youth！
Then he sang the following：
Avicenna pretends， in his writings renowned， That the lover"s best medicine is song and sweet sound And dalliance with one of his *** like his love And drinking，with waters and fruits all around.
I took me another， to heal me for thee， And fate was propitious and grace did abound Yet I knew love a mortal disease， against which Avicenna his remedy idle I found.
Taj el Mulouk was pleased with his verses and wondered at his eloquence and the excellence of his recitation， saying， "Indeed thou hast done away from me somewhat of my concern." Then said the Vizier， "Of a truth there occurred to those of times past what astounds those who hear it." "If thou canst recall any fine verse of this kind，" quoth the prince， "I prithee let us hear it and keep the talk in vogue." So the Vizier chanted the following verses：
Methought thy favours might be bought and thou to give consent To union won by gifts of gold and grace and blandishment：
And eke， for ignorance， I deemed thy love an easy thing， Thy love in which the noblest souls for languor are forspent；
Until I saw thee choose one out and gratify that one With sweet and subtle favours. Then， to me "twas evident Thy graces never might be won by any artifice； So underneath my wing my head I hid incontinent And in the nest of passion made my heart"s abiding-place， Wherein my morning and my night for evermore are pent.
Meanwhile the old woman remained shut up in her house till it befell that the princess was taken with a desire to divert herself in the garden. Now this she had been wont to do only in company with her nurse； so she sent for her and spoke her fair and made her peace with her， saying， "I wish to go forth to the garden， that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees and fruits and gladden my heart with its flowers." "I hear and obey，"
replied the old woman； "but let me first go to my house and change my dress， and I will be with thee anon." "Go，" said the princess； "but be not long absent from me." So the old woman left her and repairing to Taj el Mulouk， said to him， "Don thy richest clothes and go to the gardener and salute him and make shift to hide thyself in the garden." "I hear and obey，" answered he； and she agreed with him upon a signal to be made by her to him and returned to the princess. As soon as she was gone， the Vizier and Aziz rose and dressed Taj el Mulouk in a right costly suit of kings" raiment， worth five thousand dinars， and girt his middle with a girdle of gold set with jewels. Then he repaired to the garden and found the keeper seated at the gate. As soon as the latter saw him， he sprang to his feet and received him with all respect and consideration and opening the gate， said， "Enter and take thy pleasure in the garden." Now the gardener knew not that the princess was to visit the garden that day： but Taj el Mulouk had been there but a little while， when he heard a noise and ere he could think， out came the eunuchs and damsels by the private door. When the gardener saw this， he came up to the prince and said to him， "O my lord， what is to be done？ The Princess Dunya，the King"s daughter， is here." "Fear not，" replied the prince；
"no harm shall befall thee： for I will conceal myself somewhere about the garden." So the gardener exhorted him to the utmost prudence and went away. Presently， the princess entered the garden， attended by her damsels and the old woman， who said to herself， "If these eunuchs abide with us， we shall not attain our object." So she said to the princess， "O my lady， I have somewhat to say to thee that will be for thy heart"s ease." "Say on，"
