and she kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful.Then she sat down and tuning the lute，touched its strings and played upon it，till all present were like to faint for excess of delight；after which she improvised these verses；'Would Heaven I wot，will ever Time bring our beloveds back again？ * And，ah！ will Union and its bliss to bless two lovers deign？
Will Time assure to us united days and join？d joy，* While from the storms and stowres of life in safety we remain？
Then O Who bade this pleasure be，our parting past and gone，*
And made one house our meeting-stead throughout the Nights contain；
By him，draw near me，love，and closest cling to side of me *
Else were my wearied wasted life，a vanity，a bane.'
When the Caliph heard this，he could not master himself，but rent his raiment and fell down a-swoon；whereupon all who were present hastened to doff their dress and throw it over him，whilst Kut al-Kulub signed to Khalif and said to him，'Hie to yonder chest and bring us what is therein；'for she had made ready therein a suit of the Caliph's wear against the like of such hour as this.
So Khalif brought it to her and she threw it over the Commander of the Faithful，who came to himself and knowing her for Kut al-Kulub，said，'Is this the Day of Resurrection and hath Allah quickened those who are in the tombs；or am I asleep and is this an imbroglio of dreams？'Quoth Kut al-Kulub，'We are on wake，not on sleep，and I am alive，nor have I drained the cup of death.'
Then she told him all that had befallen her，and indeed，since he lost her，life had not been light to him nor had sleep been sweet，and he abode now wondering，then weeping and anon afire for longing.When she had made an end of her story，the Caliph rose and took her by the hand，intending for her palace，after he had kissed her inner lips，and had strained her to his bosom；