so do thou get us ready good guest-cheer.'Whenas she heard this；she rejoiced divining that it was Masrur，and made ready a magnificent banquet，[345] of her delight in the success of her device.Then，when the guest drew nigh，her husband said to her；'Come out with me to him and bid him welcome and say，'Thou gladdenest us[346]！''But Zayn al-Mawasif made a show of anger，crying，'Wilt thou have me display myself before a strange man？ I take refuge with Allah！ Though thou cut me to bits，I will not appear before him！'Rejoined he，'Why shouldst thou be abashed at him，seeing that he is a Nazarene and we are Jews and；to boot，we are become chums，he and I？'Quoth she，'I am not minded to present myself before a strange man，on whom I have never once set eyes and whom I know not any wise.'Her husband thought she spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her，till she rose and veiling herself，took the food and went out to Masrur and welcomed him；whereupon he bowed his head groundwards，as he were ashamed，and the Jew，seeing such dejection said in himself；'Doubtless，this man is a devotee.'They ate their fill and the table being removed，wine was set on.As for Zayn al-Mawasif，she sat over against Masrur and gazed on him and he gazed on her till ended day，when he went home，with a heart to fire a prey.But the Jew abode pondering the grace and the comeliness of him；and；as soon as it was night，his wife according to custom served him with supper and they seated themselves before it.Now he had a mockingbird which was wont，whenever he sat down to meat，to come and eat with him and hover over his head；but in his absence the fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him as he sat at meals.Now when Masrur disappeared and the master returned，it knew him not and would not draw near him，and this made him thoughtful concerning his case and the fowl's withdrawing from him.As for Zayn al-Mawasif，she could not sleep with her heart thinking of Masrur，and thus it was with her a second and even a third night，till the Jew became aware of her condition and，watching her while she sat distraught，began to suspect somewhat wrong.On the fourth night，he awoke in the middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep and naming Masrur，what while she lay on her husband's bosom；wherefore he misdoubted her；but he dissembled his suspicions and when morning morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein.
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