request, but through dint of solicitations he overcame my resistance,
and conducted me to another house, which was better than the first
Like the former host, he entertained me twice a day for three days and
nights, with the same kind of meals, and in the morning and afternoon
sherbet, and fruits for passing away the time, and he told me that I
was the master of all the rich gold and silver dishes, carpets, &c,
and that I might do with them whatever I pleased.

On hearing these strange proposals, I was quite confounded, and
wished that I might by some means take my leave and escape from this
place. On perceiving my [embarassed] countenance, the eunuch said,
"O creature of God, whatever your wants or wishes may be, impart them
to me, that I may lay them before the princess." I replied, "in the
garb of a pilgrim, how can I desire the riches of this world, which
you offer me unasked, and which I refuse?" He then said, "The desire
of worldly goods forsakes the heart of no one, for which reason some
poet has composed these verses:--

"I have seen [ascetics] with nails unpared;
I have seen [others] with hair thickly matted;
I have seen _jogis_ [211] with their ears split,
Having their bodies covered with ashes;
I have seen the _maunis_ [212] who never speak;
I have seen the _sevras_ [213] with heads shaved;
I have seen [the people] sporting,
In the forest of _Ban-khandi_;
I have seen the brave, I have seen heroes;
I have seen the wise and the foolish, all;
I have seen those filled with delusion,
Continuing in forgetfulness amidst their wealth;
I have seen those [who were] happy from first to last.
I have seen those [who were] afflicted from their birth;
But never have I seen those [men]
In whose minds avarice did not exist."

On hearing these [lines], I replied, what you say is true, but I
want nothing; if you will permit, I will write out a note and send it
which will express my wish, and which you will convey to the presence
of the princess, it will be [doing me] a great favour, as if I had
received all the riches in the world. The eunuch said, "I will do it
with pleasure, there is no difficulty in it." I immediately wrote a
note to the following purport:--first, I began with the praise of
God; I then related my circumstances and situation, saying, "that
this creature of God had, some days since, arrived in the city,
and from the munificence of her