Quoth she，'It hath never ceased to be locked thus during thine absence；nor hath it been opened night nor day；'and cried he；'Thou hast done well；this pleaseth me.'Then he went in to Masrur，laughing and dissembling his chagrin，and said to him，'O Masrur，let us put off the conclusion of our pact of brotherhood this day and defer it to another.'Replied Masrur，'As thou wilt，'and hied him home，leaving the Jew pondering his case and knowing not what to do；for his heart was sore troubled and he said in himself，'Even the mocking-bird disowneth me and the slave-girls shut the door in my face and favour another.'And of his exceeding chagrin，he fell to reciting these couplets；'Masrur joys life made fair by all delight of days，* Fulfilled of boons，while mine the sorest grief displays.
The Days have falsed me in the breast of her I love * And in my heart are fires which all-consuming blaze：
Yea，Time was clear for thee，but now'tis past and gone * While yet her lovely charms thy wit and senses daze：
Espied these eyes of mine her gifts of loveliness： * Oh，hard my case and sore my woe on spirit weighs！
I saw the maiden of the tribe deal rich old wine * Of lips like Salsabil to friend my love betrays：
E'en so，O mocking-bird，thou dost betray my breast * And to a rival teachest Love and lover-ways：
Strange things indeed and wondrous saw these eyne of me * Which were they sleepdrowned still from Sleep's abyss would raise：
I see my best belov？d hath forsworn my love * And eke like my mocking-bird fro'me a-startled strays.
By truth of Allah，Lord of Worlds who，whatso wills * His Fate；for creatures works and none His hest gainsays；Forsure I'll deal to that ungodly wight his due * Who but to sate his wicked will her heart withdrew！'
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this，her side-muscles trembled and quoth she to her handmaid，'Heardest thou those lines？'
whereupon quoth the girl，'I never heard him in my born days recite the like of these verses；but let him say what he will.'
Then having assured himself of the truth of his suspicions，the Jew began to sell all his property，saying to himself，'Unless I