Presentlythe axe struck upon a ring of brass；so I cleared away the earthtill I uncovered a wooden trap-doorwhich I raised and there appeared beneath it a stair I descended the stairtill I came to a doorwhich I opened and found myself in a vaulted hall of goodly structurewherein was a damsel like a pearl of great pricewhose aspect banished pain and care and anxiety from the heart and whose speech healed the troubled soul and captivated the wise and the intelligent. She was slender of shape and swelling-breasteddelicate-cheeked and bright of colour and fair of form；and indeed her face shone like the sun through the night of her tressesand her teeth glittered above the snows of her bosom. As says the poet of her：
Slender of waistwith streaming hair the hue of nightis she，With hips like hills of sand and shape straight as the balsam-tree.
And as says another：
There are four things that ne'er uniteexcept it be To shed my heart's best blood and take my soul by storm.
And these are night-black locks and brow as bright as dayCheeks ruddy as the rose and straight and slender form.
When I looked on herI prostrated myself before her Makerfor the grace and beauty He had created in her and she looked at me and said'Art thou a man or a genie？'I am a man，'answered I；and she said'And who brought thee to this placewhere I have dwelt five-and-twenty years without seeing man？'Quoth I （and indeed her speech was sweet to me）'O my ladymy good star brought me hither for the dispelling of my grief and anxiety.'
And I told her all that had befallen me from first to last. My case was grievous to her and she wept： then she said'I will tell thee my story in turn. I am the daughter of a King of Farther Indiaby name EfitamousLord of the Ebony Islandswho married me to my cousinbut on my wedding-night an Afrit called Jerjis ben Rejmousthe mother's sister's son of Ibliscarried me off and flying away with meset me down in this place whither he transported all that I needed of clothes and ornaments and furniture and meat and drink and so forth. Once in every ten days he comes to me and lies the night herethen goes his way；for he took me without the consent of his family： and he has agreed with me thatin case I should ever have occasion for him in the interval between his visitswhether by night or by dayI have only to touch these two lines engraved upon the alcoveand he will be with me before I take away my hand. It is now four days since he was hereand there remain six before he comes again.
Wilt thou therefore spend five days with me and depart the day before his coming？'I will well，'answered I. 'O rare！if it be not all a dream.'At this she rejoiced and taking me by the hand，led me through a vaulted doorway into a small but elegant bath-roomwhere we put off our clothes and she washed me. Then she clad me in a new suit and seated me by her side on a high divan and gave me to drink of sherbet of sugar flavoured with musk. Then she brought foodand we ate and conversed. After awhileshe said to me'Lie down and restfor thou art weary.'
So I lay down and slept and forgot all that had befallen me. When I awokeI found her rubbing my feet： so I thanked her and blessed herand we sat talking awhile. Quoth she'By AllahI was sad at heartfor that I have dwelt alone under ground these five-and-twenty yearswithout any to talk withal. So praised be God who hath sent thee to me！'Then she said'O youthart thou for wine？'And I answered'As thou wilt.'Whereupon she went to the cupboard and took out a sealed flask of old wine and decked the table with flowers and green herbs. Then she recited the following verses：
Had we thy coming knownwe would for sacrifice Have poured thee forth heart's blood and blackness of the eyes：
Ayand we would have laid our cheeks within thy wayThat so thy feet might tread on eyelidscarpet-wise！
I thanked herfor indeed love of her had taken hold of meand my grief and anxiety left me. We sat carousing till nightfall，and I passed the night with hernever knew I such a night. On the morrowdelight succeeded delight till the middle of the day，when I drank winetill I lost my senses and rosestaggering from side to sideand said to her'ComeO fair one！I will carry thee up from under the earth and rid thee of this genie.'
She laughed and replied'Be content and hold thy peace. One day in every ten is the genie'sand the other nine shall be thine.'
Quoth I （and indeed drunkenness had got the better of me）'This very moment will I break the alcoveon which is graven the talismanand summon the Afrit hitherthat I may kill himfor I am used to kill Afrits ten at a time.'When she heard thisshe conjured me by Allah to refrain and repeated the following verses：
This is a thing wherein thine own destruction lies： I rede thee keep thyself therefromif thou be wise.
And also these：
O thou that seek'st to hasten on the feet Of parting's steeds，the matchless swift of flight，Forbearfor fortune's nature is deceitAnd parting is the end of love delight.
I paid no heed to her wordsbut kicked the alcove with all my mightand immediately the place grew darkit thundered and lightenedthe earth trembled and the world was wrapped in gloom.
When I saw thisthe fumes of the wine left my head and I said to the lady'What is the matter？'The Afrit is upon us，'answered she 'Did I not warn thee of this！By Allahthou hast ruined me！
