'O my lady，'said the broker'look who pleases thee of these that are presentand point him outthat I may sell thee to him.'So she looked round the ring of merchant***amining them one by onetill her eyes rested on Ali Shar. His sight cost her a thousand sighs and her heart was taken with him： for that he was passing fair of favour and more pleasant than the northern zephyr；and she said'O brokerI will be sold to none but my lord therehe of the handsome face and slender shapewhom the poet describes in the following verses：
They showed thy lovely face and railed At her whom ravishment assailed.
Had they desired to keep me chasteThy face so fair they should have veiled.
None shall possess me but he，'added she；'for his cheek is smooth and the water of his mouth sweet as Selsebil；his sight is a cure for the sick and his charms confound poet and prosereven as saith one of him：
The water of his mouth is wineand very musk The fragrance of his breath；his teeth are camphor white.
Rizwan hath put him our from paradisefor fear The black-eyed girls of heaven be tempted with the wight.
Men blame him for his pride；but the full moon's excuseHow proud so'er it befinds favour in our sight.
Him of the curling locks and rose-red cheeks and enchanting glancesof whom saith the poet：
A slender loveling promised me his favours fair and free；So my heart's restless and my eye looks still his sight to see.
His eyelids warranted me the keeping of his troth；But how shall theythat bankrupt arefulfil their warranty？
And as saith another：
'The of whiskers on his cheek，'quoth they'is plain to see： How canst thou then enamoured be of himand whiskered he？'
Quoth I'Have done with blame and leave your censuringI pray.
As if it be a very it is a forgery.
Loin the gathering of his cheeks the meads of Eden beAnd more by token that his lips are Kautherverily.'
When the broker heard the verses she repeated on the charms of Ali Sharhe marvelled at her eloquenceno less than at the brightness of her beauty；but her owner said to him'Marvel not at her beautythat shames the sun of daynor that her mind is stored with the choicest verses of the poets；forbesides this，she can repeat the glorious Koranaccording to the seven readingsand the august Traditionsafter the authentic text；and she writes the seven hands and is versed in more branches of knowledge than the most learned doctor. Moreoverher hands are better than gold and silver；for she makes curtains of silk and sells them for fifty dinars each；and it takes her eight days to make a curtain.'Happy the man，'exclaimed the broker'who hath her in his house and maketh her of his privy treasures！'And her owner said'Sell her to whom she will.'So the broker went up to Ali Shar and kissing his handssaid to him'O my lordbuy thou this damselfor she hath made choice of thee.'Then he set forth to him all her charms and accomplishmentsand added： 'I give thee joyif thou buy herfor she is a gift from Him who is no niggard of His giving.'
Ali bowed his head awhilelaughing to himself and saying inwardly'Up to now I have not broken my fast；yet I am ashamed to own before the merchants that I have no money wherewith to buy her.'The damselseeing him hang down his headsaid to the broker'Take my hand and lead me to himthat I may show myself to him and tempt him to buy me；for I will not be sold to any but him.'So the broker took her hand and stationed her before Ali Sharsaying'What is thy pleasureO my lord？'But he made him no answerand the girl said to him'O my lord and darling of my heartwhat ails thee that thou wilt not bid for me？ Buy me for what thou wiltand I will bring thee good fortune.'Ali raised his eyes to her and said'Must I buy thee perforce？ Thou art dear at one thousand dinars.'Then buy me for nine hundred，'answered she. 'Nay，'rejoined he；and she said'Then for eight hundred；'and ceased not to abate the pricetill she came to a hundred dinars. Quoth he'I have not quite a hundred dinars.'
'How much dost thou lack of a hundred？'asked shelaughing. 'By Allah，'replied he'I have neither a hundred dinarsnor any other sum；for I own neither white money nor redneither dinar nor dirhem. So look out for another customer.'When she knew that he had nothingshe said to him'Take me by the hand and carry me aside into a passageas if thou wouldst examine me privily.'
He did so and she took from her bosom a purse containing a thousand dinarswhich she gave him saying'Pay down nine hundred to my price and keep the rest to provide us withal.'
He did as she bade him and buying her for nine hundred dinars，paid down the price from the purse and carried her to his house，which when she enteredshe found nothing but bare floors，without carpets or vessels. So she gave him other thousand dinarssaying'Go to the bazaar and buy three hundred dinars'worth of furniture and vessels for the house and three dinars'worth of meat and drinkalso a piece of silkthe size of a curtainand gold and silver thread and [sewing] silk of seven colours.'He did her biddingand she furnished the house and they sat down to eat and drink；after which they went to bed and took their pleasureone of the other. And they lay the night embraced and were even as saith the poet：
Cleave fast to her thou lov'st and let the envious rail amain；For calumny and envy ne'er to favour love were fain.
Lowhilst I sleptin dreams I saw thee lying by my side And from thy lips the sweetestsureof limpid springs did drain.
Yeatrue and certain all I saw isas I will avouchAnd 'spite the envierthereto I surely will attain.
There is no goodlier sightindeedfor eyes to look uponThan when one couch in its embrace enfoldeth lovers twain，Each to the other's bosom claspedclad in their twinned delight，Whilst hand with hand and arm with arm about their necks enchain.
Lowhen two hearts are straitly knit in passion and desireBut on cold iron smite the folk who chide at them in vain.
Thouthat for loving censurest the votaries of loveCanst thou assain a heart diseased or heal a cankered brain？
