And the damsel ceased not to carouse with her lord and ply him with cup and bowl and require him to fill for her and give her to drink of that which sweeteneth the spirits，and whenever he put forth hand to her，she drew back from him，out of coquetry.The wine added to her beauty and loveliness，and Nur al-Din recited these two couplets；'Slim-waist craved wine from her companeer；* Cried （in meeting of friends when he feared for his fere，）
'An thou pass not the wine thou shalt pass the night，* A-banisht my bed！' And he felt sore fear.'
They ceased not drinking till drunkenness overpowered Nur al-Din and he slept；whereupon she rose forthright and fell to work upon a zone，as was her wont.When she had wrought it to end，she wrapped it in paper and doffing her clothes，lay down by his side and enjoyed dalliance and delight till morn appeared.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night； She continued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Miriam the Girdle-girl，having finished her zone and wrapped it in paper doffed her dress and lay down by the side of her lord；and then happened to them what happened of dalliance and delight；and he did his devoir like a man.On the morrow，she gave him the girdle and said to him，'Carry this to the market and sell it for twenty dinars，even as thou soldest its fellow yesterday.'So he went to the bazar and sold the girdle for twenty dinars，after which he repaired to the druggist and paid him back the eighty dirhams；thanking him for the bounties and calling down blessings upon him.He asked，'O my son，hast thou sold the damsel？'；and Nur al-Din answered，'Wouldst thou have me sell the soul out of my body？'and he told him all that had passed，from commencement to conclusion，whereat the druggist joyed with joy galore，than which could be no more and said to him，'By Allah，O my son，thou gladdenest me！ Inshallah，mayst thou ever be in prosperity！
Indeed I wish thee well by reason of my affection for thy ather and the continuance of my friendship with him.'Then Nur al-Din left the Shaykh and straightway going to the market，bought meat and fruit and wine and all that he needed according to his custom and returned therewith to Miriam.They abode thus a whole year in eating and drinking and mirth and merriment and love and good comradeship，and every night she made a zone and he sold it on the morrow for twenty dinars，wherewith he bought their needs and gave the rest to her，to keep against a time of necessity.After the twelvemonth she said to him one day，'O my lord，whenas thou sellest the girdle to-morrow，buy for me with its price silk of six colours，because I am minded to make thee a kerchief to wear on thy shoulders，such as never son of merchant，no，nor King's son，ever rejoiced in its like.'So next day he fared forth to the bazar and after selling the zone brought her the dyed silks she sought and Miriam the Girdle-girl wrought at the kerchief a whole week，for，every night，when she had made an end of the zone，she would work awhile at the kerchief till it was finished.
Then she gave it to Nur al-Din，who put it on his shoulders and went out to walk in the market-place，whilst all the merchants and folk and notables of the town crowded about him，to gaze on his beauty and that of the kerchief which was of the most beautiful.Now it chanced that one night，after this，he awoke from sleep and found Miriam weeping passing sore and reciting these couplets；'Nears my parting fro' my love，nigher draws the Severance-day *
Ah well-away for parting！ and again ah well-away！
And in tway is torn my heart and O pine I'm doomed to bear * For the nights that erst witnessed our pleasurable play！
No help for it but Envier the twain of us espy * With evil eye and win to us his lamentable way.
For naught to us is sorer than the jealousy of men * And the backbiter's eyne that with calumny affray.'
He said，'O my lady Miriam，[487] what aileth thee to weep？'
and she replied，'I weep for the anguish of parting for my heart presageth me thereof.'Quoth he，'O lady of fair ones，and who shall interpose between us，seeing that I love thee above all creatures and tender thee the most？'；and quoth she，'And I love thee twice as well as thou me；but fair opinion of fortune still garreth folk fall into affliction，and right well saith the poet，[488]
'Think'st thou thyself all prosperous，in days which prosp'rous be；Nor fearest thou impending ill，which comes by Heaven's decree？
We see the orbs of heav'n above，how numberless they are；But sun and moon alone eclips'd，and ne'er a lesser star！
And many a tree on earth we see，some bare，some leafy green；Of them，not one is hurt with stone save that has fruitful been！
See'st not th' refluent ocean，bear carrion on its tide；While pearls beneath its wavy flow，fixed in the deep，abide？''
Presently she added，'O my lord Nur al-Din，an thou desire to nonsuit separation，be on thy guard against a swart-visaged oldster，blind of the right eye and lame of the left leg；for he it is who will be the cause of our severance.I saw him enter the city and I opine that he is come hither in quest of me.'Replied Nur al-Din，'O lady of fair ones，if my eyes light on him，I will slay him and make an example of him.'Rejoined she，'O my lord；slay him not；but talk not nor trade with him，neither buy nor sell with him nor sit nor walk with him nor speak one word to him，no，not even the answer prescribed by law，[489] and I pray Allah to preserve us from his craft and his mischief.'
