o and leave you alone, but such are
your orders, and I am forced to go; until I return, my heart will be
attached to this very spot." Saying this, I went to the merchant's:
he, seated on a chair, was waiting for me. On seeing me, he said,
"Come, good sir, you have made me wait long." [137]

He instantly arose, seized my hand, and moved on; proceeding along,
he conducted me to a garden; it was a garden of great beauty; in
the basons and canals fountains were playing; fruits of various
kinds were in full bloom, and the branches of the trees were bent
down with their weight; [138] birds of various species were perched
on the boughs, and sung their merry notes, and elegant carpets were
spread in every apartment [of the grand pavilion which stood in the
centre of the garden]. There on the border of the canal, we sat down
in an elegant saloon; he got up a moment after and went out, and
then returned richly dressed. On seeing him, I exclaimed, "Praised
be the Lord, may the evil eye be averted!" [139] On hearing this,
exclamation, he smiled, and said, "It is fit you, too, should change
your dress." To please him, I also put on other clothes. The young
merchant, with much sumptuousness, prepared an elegant entertainment,
and provided every article of pleasure that could be desired; he was
warm in his expressions of attachment to me, and his conversation was
quite enchanting. At this moment a cupbearer appeared with a flask
[of wine] and a crystal cup, and delicious meats of various kinds were
served up. The salt-cellars were set in order, and the sparkling cup
began to circulate. When it had performed three or four revolutions,
four young dancing boys, very beautiful, with loose, flowing tresses,
entered the assembly, and began to sing and play. Such was the
scene, and such the melody, that had _Tan-Sen_ [140] been present
at that hour, he would have forgot his strains; and _Baiju-Ba,ora_
[141] would have gone mad. In the midst of this festivity, the young
merchant's eyes filled suddenly with tears, and involuntarily two or
three drops trickled down [his cheeks]; he turned round and said to me,
"Now between us a friendship for life is formed; to hide the secrets of
our hearts is approved by no religion. I am going to impart a secret
to you, in the confidence of friendship and without reserve. If you
will give me leave I will send for my mistress into our company,
and exhilarate my heart [with her presence]; for in her absence,