An would’st ask me of woman, behold I am ✿ In physic of womankind wise and ware:

When grizzleth man’s head and his monies fail, ✿ His lot in their love is a poor affair.

Nor that of another:[[430]]—

Gainsay women; he obeyeth Allah best, who saith them nay And he prospers not who giveth them his bridle-rein to sway;

For they’ll hinder him from winning to perfection in his gifts, Though a thousand years he study, seeking after wisdom’s way.

And a third:—

Women Satans are, made for woe of man: ✿ To Allah I fly from such Satanesses!

Whom they lure by their love he to grief shall come ✿ And lose bliss of world and the Faith that blesses.

Said she, “Here am I sitting in my chamber; so go thou to him forthright and knock at the door and contrive to go in to him quickly. An thou see the damsel with him ’tis a slave-girl of his who resembleth me (and Glory be to Him who hath no resemblance![[431]]) But, an thou see no slave-girl with him, then am I myself she whom thou sawest with him in the shop, and thine ill thought of me will be stablished.” “True,” answered Obayd, and went out leaving her, whereupon she passed through the hidden passage and seating herself by Kamar al-Zaman, told him what had passed, saying, “Open the door quickly and show me to him.” Now, as they were talking, behold, there came a knocking at the door. Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, “Who is at the door?”; and quoth the jeweller, “I, thy friend; thou displayedst to me thy slave-girl in the bazar, and I rejoiced for thee in her, but my joy in her was not completed; so open the door and let me look at her again.” Rejoined he, “So be it,” and opened the door to him, whereupon he saw his wife sitting by him. She rose and kissed their hands; and he looked at her; then she talked with him awhile and he saw her not to be distinguished from his wife in aught and said, “Allah createth whatso He will.” Then he went away more disheartened than before and returned to his own house where he saw his wife sitting, for she had foregone him thither by the souterrain.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,