save with craft and beguilement； and she loveth the recitation of verses。' Quoth he； 'I hear and obey；' and bringing her the musk and ambergris and aloeswood and rosewater； returned with her to Zein el Mewasif and saluted her。 She returned his greeting with the sweetest of speech； and he was confounded at her beauty and improvised the following verses：
O sun； midmost the dark that shinest in the skies； O thou that hast benumbed my wit with great black eyes；
O loveling sweet； that 'st with neck surpassing fair； Whose cheek the gardenrose eclipses and outvies；
Blind not with thy disdain our sights； for thy disdain A grievous matter is； the heart that terrifies。
Passion took up its stead with me； and 'tis forbid To it to carry off the life's last lingering sighs。
Indeed； the love of you doth lord it in my heart； And save to you； I find no issue anywise。
Yet haply thou'lt relent towards a lover sad； So shall his darkness flee and morning bright arise。
When she heard his verses； she cast at him a look； that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and his heart and soul were ravished thereby and answered him as follows：
Think not from her； of whom thou art enamoured； aye To win delight； so put desire from thee away。
Leave that thou hop'st； for 'gainst her rigours whom thou lov'st Among the fair； in vain is all thou canst essay。
My looks to lovers bring disfiture and woe： Indeed； I make no count of that which thou dost say。
When he heard this； he dissembled and took patience； saying in himself； 'There is nothing for it but patience against calamity；' and on this wise they abode till nightfall； when she called for food and they set before her a tray； wherein were all manner meats； quails and pigeons and mutton and so forth； of which they ate till they had enough。 Then she bade take away the tables and they did so and brought washing gear。 So they washed their hands； after which she ordered her women to bring the candlesticks； and they set on candlesticks and candles therein of camphorated wax。
Then said she； 'By Allah； my breast is straitened to night and I am fevered。' Quoth Mesrour； 'May God dilate thy breast and do away thy trouble！' And she aaid； 'O Mesrour； I am used to play at chess： knowest thou aught of the game？' 'Yes；' answered he； 'I am skilled therein；' whereupon she bade her maid Huboub fetch her the chessboard。 So she went away and presently returning with the board； set it before her； and behold； it was of ebony inlaid with ivory； with squares traced out in glittering gold； and its pieces were of pearl and ruby。 Mesrour was amazed at this and she said to him； 'Wilt thou have red or white？' 'O princess of fair ones and adornment of the morning；' answered he； 'do thou take the red； for they are handsome and fitter for the like of thee； and leave me the white。' 'So be it；' answered she and taking the red pieces； ranged them opposite the white； then put out her hand to make the first move。
He looked at her fingers； which were white as paste； and was confounded at their beauty and elegant shape； whereupon she turned to him and said； 'O Mesrour； be not bewildered； but take patience and calm thyself。' 'O thou whose beauty puts the moons to shame；' answered he； 'how shall a lover look on thee and have patience？' 'Checkmate！' （7） said she and beat him； wherefore she knew that he was mad for love of her and said to him； 'O Mesrour； I will not play with thee save for a set stake。' 'I hear and obey；' answered he and she said； 'Swear to me and I will swear to thee that neither of us will cheat the other。' So they swore this and she said； 'O Mesrour； if I beat thee； I will have ten dinars of thee； and if thou beat me； I will give thee nothing。' 'O my lady；' rejoined he； 'be not false to thine oath； for I see thou art an over match for me at this game！' 'Agreed；' said she and they ranged their men and fell again to playing。
Now she had on her head a kerchief of blue brocade； so she laid it aside and tucking up her sleeve； showed a wrist like a shaft of light and passed her hand over the red pieces； saying to him； 'Look to thyself。' But he was dazzled at her beauty and the sight of her charms bereft him of reason； so that he became dazed and stupefied and put out his hand to the white men； but it lit upon the red。 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'where are thy senses？ The red are mine and the white thine。' And he replied； 'Who can look on thee； without losing his senses？' Then； seeing how it was with him； she took the white from him and gave him the red； and they played and she beat him。
He ceased not to play with her and she to beat him； whilst he paid her each time ten dinars； till； seeing him to be distracted for love of her； she said to him； 'O Mesrour； thou wilt never e to thy desire； except thou beat me； and henceforth； I will not play with thee save for a stake of a hundred dinars a game。' 'With all my heart；' answered he and they went on playing； whilst she still beat him and he won not a single game； but paid her a hundred dinars each time； and on this wise they abode till the morning； when he rose。 Quoth she； 'What wilt thou； O Mesrour？' And he replied； 'I mean to go to my lodging and fetch somewhat of money： it may be I shall attain my desire。' 'Do as seemeth good to thee；' said she。 So he went home and taking all the money he had； returned to her； reciting the following verses：
Methought I caught a bird in sleep； as I did deem； All in a garden fair with smiling flowers agleam。
That I shall get of thee the amorous delight； Th' interpretation is； meseems； of this my dream。
Then they fell aplaying again； but she still beat him and he could not beat her once； and on this wise they abode three days； till she had gotten of him all his money： whereupon； 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'what wilt thou do now？' And he answered； 'I will stake thee a druggist's shop。' 'What is its worth？' asked she； and he replied； 'Five hundred dinars。' So they played and she won the shop of him in five bouts。 Then he staked slavegirls and lands and houses and gardens； and she won them all； till she had gotten of him all he had； whereupon she turned to him and said； 'Hast thou aught left to stake？' 'By Him who made me fall into the snare of thy love；' answered he； 'I have neither money nor aught else left； little or much！' 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'the end of that whose beginning was contentment shall not be repentance； wherefore； if thou repent thee； take back thy good and begone from us； and I e。' 'By Him who decreed these things to us；' replied Mesrour； 'though thou soughtest to take my life； it were a little thing； pared to thine approof； for I love none but thee！'
Then said she； 'Go and fetch the Cadi and the witnesses and make over to me by deed all thy lands and possessions。' 'Willingly；' replied he and going out forthright； returned with the Cadi and the witnesses。 When the magistrate saw her； his reason fled and his mind was troubled by reason of the beauty of her fingers； and he said to her； 'O my lady； I will not draw up the deed of conveyance； save upon condition that thou purchase the lands and houses and slavegirls and that they all pass under thy control and into thy possession。' 'We are agreed upon that；' replied she； 'write me a deed； whereby all Mesrour's houses and lands and slavegirls and all his hand possesseth shall pass to Zein el Mewasif and bee her property at such a price。' So he wrote out the deed and the witnesses set their hands thereto； whereupon she took it from the Cadi and said to Mesrour； 'Now go thy ways。' But her slavegirl Huboub turned to him and said； 'Recite us some verses。' So he improvised the following verses upon ＇his own case and＇ the game of chess：
Of Fate I plain me and for that which hath befall'n me sigh And make my moan of loss by chess and by the ＇evil＇ eye；
For love of one； a damsel fair； slender and delicate； Female or male； there's not her like of all beneath the sky。
Arrows upon me from her looks she launched and 'gainst me brought Troops that would conquer all the world and all men； far and nigh；
Red men and white men； ay； and knights for shock of battle ranged； Then came she forth to me and did to single fight defy。
'Look to thyself；' quoth she； but； when she put her fingers out； Midmost a pitchblack night； most like her sable hair in dye；
I had no power to move the white； to rescue them from her And passion caused the tide of tears in me run fierce and high。
On； with the queens； fall pawns and rooks； they charge the host of white； And these give way； disfited； and turn their backs to fly；
Yea； and she launched at me； to boot； an arrow of her looks； And to the kernel of my heart the quivering shaft did hie。
'Twixt the two hosts she gave me choice； and I chose that which whiteWas with the whiteness of the moon that shih in the sky。
'The white； indeed； are those which best beseem to me and they Are what I fain would have； so take the red to thee；' quoth I。
Then played she with me for a stake agreed 'twixt us； but Fate did unto me the wishedfor boon of her consent deny。
Alas； the misery of my heart！ Alas； my longing sore For the enjoyment of a maid who with the moon doth vie！
It is not for my goods and lands my heart is all afire But that； alack！ familiar 'tis grown with the ＇evil＇ eye。
Distraught I'm grown and stupefied for dreariment； and Fate； For what's betided me； I chide with many a tear and cry。
'What ails thee to be dazed？' asked she； and I； 'Shall winebibbers Be whole of wit； when drunkenness their sense doth stupefy？'
A mortal maid hath ta'en my wit with her fair shape； if it Be soft； her bowels are like rock； uneath to mollify。
Myself I heartened； saying； 'Her today I shalt possess Upon the wager； fearing not defeat I should aby。
My heart ceased not to covet her； till I to poverty Became reduced； and beggared now in goods and hope am I。
Will he who is in love forswear a love that irketh him； Though in the oceans of desire he struggle like to die？
So is the slave grown penniless； to love and longing thrall； All unacplished yet the hope he staked his all to buy。
Zein el Mewasif marvelled at the eloquence of his tongue and said to him； 'O Mesrour； leave this madness and return to thy senses and go thy ways； fo