wall and touch her. My passion was
increasing, and I was on the point of approaching her, when I heard the
name of _Zeenab_ repeated several times, with great impatience, by a
loud shrill voice; upon which my fair one left the terrace in haste, and
I remained riveted to the place where I had first seen her. I continued
there for a long time, in the hope that she might return, but to no
purpose. I lent my ear to every noise, but nothing was to be heard
below but the same angry voice, which, by turns, appeared to attack
everything, and everybody, and which could belong to no one but the
doctor's wife; a lady, who, as report would have it, was none of the
mildest of her sex, and who kept her good man in great subjection.

The day had now entirely closed in, and I was about retiring to my bed
in despair, when the voice was heard again, exclaiming, 'Zeenab, where
are you going to? Why do you not retire to bed?'

I indistinctly heard the answer of my charmer, but soon guessed what
it had been, when saw her appear on the terrace again. My heart beat
violently, and I was about to leap over the wall, which separated us,
when I was stopped by seeing her taking up a basket, in which she had
gathered her tobacco, and make a hasty retreat; but just as she was
disappearing, she said to me, in a low tone of voice, 'Be here to-morrow
night.' These words thrilled through my whole frame, in a manner that
I had never before felt, and I did not cease to repeat them, and ponder
over them, until, through exhaustion, I fell into a feverish doze, and I
did not awaken on the following morning until the beams of the sun shone
bright in my face.

CHAPTER XXIV

He has an interview with the fair Zeenab, who relates how she passes her
time in the doctor's harem.

'So,' said I, when I had well rubbed my eyes: 'so, now I am in love?
Well! we shall see what will come of it. Who and what she is we shall
know to-night, so please it; and if she is anything which belongs to
the doctor, may his house be ruined if I do not teach him how to keep
a better watch over his property. As for marriage, that is out of the
question. Who would give a wife to me; I who have not even enough to
buy myself a pair of trousers, much less to defray the expenses of a
wedding? _Inshallah,_ please God, that will take place one of these
days, whenever I shall have got together some money; but now I will make
play with love, and let the doctor pay for it.'

With that