lways gazed intensely at me, seemed desirous to speak, looked up
every now and then at the latticed windows of the house, at the foot of
which she had taken post, and then allowed me to pass on.

The first time I scarcely took notice of her, an old woman standing at
the corner of a street being nothing remarkable; but, on the second,
I became surprised, and was on my guard; the third roused all my
curiosity; and on the fourth evening I determined, if she appeared
again, to discover what could be her meaning.

Accordingly I dressed myself rather better than usual, having taken
it for granted that my good looks, added to the protection of my good
planet, were at work for me; and issuing forth from the coffee-house, I
walked with a slow and sauntering step towards the mysterious woman. I
was about accosting her, when, as I turned the angle of the street that
screened me from the windows of the coffee-house, of a sudden a lattice
of the house before mentioned was thrown open, and an unveiled female
presented herself to my sight, whose face and form appeared to me of the
most dazzling beauty. A flower was in her hand, which she first held out
to my notice, then placed it on her heart, threw it to me, and then shut
the lattice in such haste, that the whole scene was like an apparition
which had shown itself, and then suddenly disappeared. I stood with my
mouth open, and my eyes directed upwards, until I was gently pulled
by the sleeve by the old woman, who had picked up the flower, and was
presenting it to me as I looked round upon her.

'What is this,' said I, 'in the name of the Prophet? Are there Gins and
Peris in this land?'

'Are you such a novice,' answered the old woman, 'not to know what that
flower means? Your beard is long enough, you are not a child, and your
dress proclaims that you have travelled; but you have travelled to
little purpose, if you know not what a lady means when she gives you an
almond flower.

'O yes,' said I, 'I know that fistek (almond) rhymes to yastek (pillow);
and I also know that two heads upon one pillow have frequently been
compared to two kernels in one almond; but my beard is long enough to
remind me also, that such things do not happen without danger, and that
the heads may be cut off, as well as the kernels swallowed up.'

'Fear nothing,' said my companion with great emotion, 'by the holy
Mohamed, we are clean ones, and you despise fortune, if you reject us.
Are you an ass, that