took the merchants to witness of the sale。
They passed the night in eating and drinking and making merry； till the morning； when the Frank cried out to his servants； saying； 'Bring me the money。' So they brought it to him and he counted out ten thousand dinars to Noureddin； saying； 'O my lord； take the price of thy slavegirl； whom thou soldest to me last night； in the presence of these Muslim merchants。' 'Thou liest； O accursed one；' replied Noureddin。 'I sold thee nothing and have no slavegirls。' Quoth the Frank； 'Verily thou didst sell her to me and these merchants were witnesses to the bargain。' 'Yes；' said they all； 'thou soldest him thy slavegirl before us for ten thousand dinars； O Noureddin； and we will all bear witness against thee of the sale。 e； take the money and deliver him the girl； and God will give thee a better than she in her stead。 Doth it mislike thee； O Noureddin； that thou boughtest the girl for a thousand dinars and hast enjoyed her beauty and grace and taken thy fill of her pany and converse night and day for a year and a half； wherein thou hast gained half a score thousand dinars by the sale of the girdle which she made thee every day and thou soldest for twenty dinars； and after all this thou hast sold her again at a profit of nine thousand dinars over and above her original price？ And withal thou deniest the sale and belittlest the profit！ What gain is greater than this gain and what profit wouldst thou have greater than this？ If thou love her； thou hast had thy fill of her all this time： so take the money and buy another handsomer than she； or we will marry thee to one of our daughters lovelier than she； at a dowry of less than half this price； and the rest of the money will remain in thy hand an capital。' And they ceased not to ply him with persuasion and argument till he took the ten thousand dinars； the price of the damsels and the Frank straightway fetched Cadis and witnesses； who drew up the contract of sale。
Meanwhile； Meryem sat awaiting Noureddin from morning till sundown and from sundown till midnight； and when he returned not； she was troubled and wept sore。 The druggist heard her weeping and sent his wife to her； who went in to her and finding her in tears said to her； 'O my lady； what ails thee to weep？' 'O my mother；' answered she； 'I have sat awaiting my lord Noureddin all day； but he eth not； and I fear lest some one have put a cheat on him； to make him sell me； and he have fallen into the snare and sold me。' 'O my lady Meryem； rejoined the druggist's wife； 'were they to give thy lord this room full of gold to thy price； yet would he not sell thee； for what I know of his love to thee。 Belike there be folk e frown his parents at Cairo and he hath made them an entertainment in their lodging； being ashamed to bring them hither； for that the place is overstrain for them or maybe their condition is less than that he should bring them to his own house； or belike he preferred to conceal thine affair from them； so passed the night with them； and if it be the will of God the Most High； tomorrow he will e to thee； safe and well。 So burden not thy soul with care nor anxiety； O my lady； for of a certainty this is the cause of his absence from thee and I will abide with thee this night and fort thee； till thy lord return。'
So she abode with her and cheered her with talk till the morning； when Meryem saw Noureddin enter the street； followed by the Frank and a pany of merchants； whereupon she trembled in every nerve and her colour changed and she fell ashaking； as the ship shakes in midocean for the violence of the winds。 When the druggist's wife saw this； she said to her； 'O my lady Meryem； what ails thee that I see thy case changed and thy face grown pale and disfeatured？' 'By Allah； O my mother；' replied she； 'my heart forebodeth me of parting and severance of union！' And she bemoaned herself and sighed heavily； reciting the following verses：
Incline not to parting； I pray； For bitter its savour is aye。
E'en the sun at his setting turns pale； To think he must part from the day；
And so； at his rising； for joy Of reunion； he's radiant and gay。
Then she wept passing sore； making sure of separation； and said to the druggist's wife； 'O my mother； said I not to thee that my lord Noureddin had been tricked into selling me？ I doubt not but he hath sold me this night to yonder Frank； albeit I bade him beware of him； but precaution availeth not against destiny。 So the truth of my words is made manifest to thee。' Whilst they were talking； in came Noureddin； and she looked at him and saw that his colour was changed and that he trembled and there appeared on his face signs of grief and repentance： so she said to him； 'O my lord Noureddin； meseemeth thou hast sold me。' Whereupon he wept sore and groaned and lamented and recited the following verses：
Twas Fate； and taking thought avails not anything； If thou err； it errs not in its foreordering。
When God upon a man endowed with hearing； sight And reasoning； His will in aught to pass would bring；
He stops has ears and blinds his eyes and draws his wit From him； as one draws out the hairs to paste that cling；
Till； His decrees fulfilled； He gives him back his wit； That therewithal he may receive admonishing。
Say not of aught that haps； 'How happened it？' For fate And fortune foreordained do order everything。
Then he began to excuse himself to her； saying； 'O my lady Meryem； verily the pen runh with what God hath decreed。 The folk put a cheat on me； to make me sell thee； and I fell into the snare and sold thee。 Indeed； I have sorely failed of my duty to thee； but peradventure He who decreed our parting will vouchsafe us reunion。' Quoth she； 'I warned thee against this； for this it was I feared。' Then she strained him to her bosom and kissed him between the eyes； reciting the following verses：
Nay； by your love； I'll ne'er fet the troth betwixt us plight； Though my life perish for desire and yearning for your sight。
E'en as the ringdove doth lament upon the sandhills' trees； So will I weep for you and wail all tides of day and night。
My life is troubled after you； beloved： since from me You're gone； no meetingplace have I nor sojourn of delight。
At this juncture； the Frank came in to them and went up to Meryem； to kiss her hands； but she dealt him a buffet on the cheek； saying； 'Avaunt； O accursed one！ Thou hast followed after me without cease； till thou hast tricked my lord into selling me！ But please God； all shall yet be well。' The Frank laughed at her speech and wondered at her deed and excused himself to her； saying； 'O my lady Meryem； what is my offence？ Thy lord Noureddin here sold thee of his full consent and of his free will。 Had he loved thee； by the virtue of the Messiah； he had not transgressed against thee！ And had he not acplished his desire of thee； he had not sold thee。 Quoth one of the poets：
Whoso of me is weary； my presence let him flee： If e'er again I name him； to call me fool thou'rt free。
The world in all its wideness on me is not so strait That thou shouldst see me languish for who rejecteth me。'
Now this damsel was the daughter of the King of France； the which is a wide and spacious city； （79） abounding in arts and manufactures and rarities and trees and flowers and other plants； and resembleth the city of Constantinople： and for her going forth of her father's city there was an extraordinary cause and thereby hangs a rare story； that we will set out in due order； to divert and delight the reader。 She was reared with her father and mother in honour and indulgence and learnt rhetoric and penmanship and arithmetic and martial exercises and all manner crafts both of men and women； such as broidery and sewing and weaving and girdlemaking and silkcord making and enamelling gold on silver and silver on gold； till she became the pearl of her time and the unique ＇jewel＇ of her age and her day。 Moreover； God （to whom belong might and majesty） had endowed her with such beauty and grace and elegance and perfection that she excelled therein all the folk of her time； and the kings of the isles sought her in marriage of her father； but he refused to give her to wife to any of her suitors； for that he loved her with an exceeding love and could not brook to be parted from her an hour。 Moreover； he had no other daughter than herself albeit he had many sons； but she was dearer to him than they。
It chanced one year that she fell sick of an exceeding sickness and came nigh upon death； wherefore she made a vow that； if she recovered from her sickness； she would make the pilgrimage to a certain monastery； situate in much an island； which was high in repute among the Franks who used to make vows to it and look for a blessing therefrom。 When she was whole of her sickness she wished to acplish her vow and her father despatched her to the convent in a little ship； with sundry knights and daughters of the chief men of the city to wait upon her。 As they drew near the island； there came out upon them a ship of the ships of the Muslims； champions of the faith； warring in the way of God； who boarded the vessel and making prize of all who were therein； sold their booty in the city of Cairawan。 Meryem herself fell into the hands of a Persian merchant； who was impotent and for whom no woman had ever discovered her nakedness； and he set her to serve him。
Presently he fell ill and sickened wellnigh unto death； and the sickness abode with him two months； during which time she tended him after the goodliest fashion； till God made him whole of his malady； when he recalled her lovingkindness to him and the zeal with which she had tended him and being minded to requite her the good offices she had done him； bade her ask a boon of him。 'O my lord；' said she； 'I ask of thee that thou sell me not but to the man of my choice。' 'So be it；' answered he； 'I grant thee this。 By Allah； O Meryem； I will not sell thee but to him of whom thou shalt approve； and I put thy sale in thine own hand！' And she rejoiced mightily in this。 Now the Persian had expounded Islam to her and she became a Muslim and learnt of him the tes and observances of the faith。 Moreover； he made her get the Koran by heart and taught her somewhat of the theological sc