' Presently, she rose and tucking up her
sleeves, took a table, on which she laid the cloth and the tray
of food; then set it before Amjed and began to eat, saying, 'Eat,
O my lord.' So he came forward and ate; but the food was not
pleasant to him and he ceased not to look towards the door, till
the lady had eaten her fill, when she took away the meats and
setting on the dessert, fell to eating of the dried fruits. Then
she brought the wine-service and opening the jar, filled a cup
and gave it to Amjed, who took it, saying in himself, 'Alas!
what will become of me, when the master of the house comes and
sees me!' Presently, as he sat, with the cup in his hand and his
eyes fixed on the vestibule, in came the master of the house, who
was one of the chief men of the city, being Master of the Horse
to the King. He had fitted up this house for his privy
pleasures, that he might make merry therein and be private with
whom he would, and had that day bidden one whom he loved and had
made this entertainment for him. When, therefore, this man
(whose name was Behadir and who was a kindly, liberal and open-
handed man) came thither and found the door open and the lock
broken, he entered softly and putting in his head at the door of
the saloon, saw Amjed and the lady sitting, with the dish of
fruit and the wine-jar before them.
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