When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventieth Night； She resumed，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Nur al-Din entered Alexandria he found it a city goodly of pleasaunces，delightful to its inhabitants and inviting to inhabit therein.Winter had fared from it with his cold and Prime was come to it with his roses： its flowers were kindly ripe and welled forth its rills.Indeed，it was a city goodly of ordinance and disposition；its folk were of the best of men，and when the gates thereof were shut，its folk were safe.[443] And it was even as is said of it in these couplets；'Quoth I to a comrade one day，* A man of good speech and rare；'Describe Alexandria.'* Quoth he，'Tis a march-town fair.'
Quoth I，'Is there living therein？'* And he，'An the wind blow there.'
Or as saith one of the poets；'Alexandria's a frontier；[444] Whose dews of lips are sweet and clear；
How fair the coming to it is，* So one therein no raven speer！'
Nur al-Din walked about the city and ceased not walking till her came to the merchants'bazar，whence he passed on to the mart of the money-changers and so on in turn to the markets of the confectioners and fruiterers and druggists，marvelling，as he went，at the city，for that the nature of its qualities accorded with its name.[445] As he walked in the druggists'bazar；behold，an old man came down from his shop and saluting him，took him by the hand and carried him to his home.And Nur al-Din saw a fair bystreet，swept and sprinkled，whereon the zephyr blew and made pleasantness pervade it and the leaves of the trees overshaded it.Therein stood three houses and at the upper end a mansion，whose foundations were firm sunk in the water and its walls towered to the confines of the sky.They had swept the space before it and they had sprinkled it freshly；so it exhaled the fragrance of flowers，borne on the zephyr which breathed upon the place；and the scent met there who approached it on such wise as it were one of the gardens of Paradise.And，as they had cleaned and cooed the by-street's head，so was the end of it with marble spread.The Shaykh carried Nur al-Din into the house and setting somewhat of food before him ate with his guest.When they had made an end of eating，the druggist said to him，'When camest thou hither from Cairo？'；and Nur al-Din replied，'This very night，O my father.'Quoth the old man，'What is thy name？'；and quoth he，'Ali Nur al-Din.'Said the druggist，'O my son，O Nur al-Din，be the triple divorce incumbent on me，an thou leave me so long as thou abidest in this city；and I will set thee apart a place wherein thou mayst dwell.'Nur al-Din asked，'O my lord the Shaykh，let me know more of thee'；and the other answered，'Know；O my son，that some years ago I went to Cairo with merchandise；which I sold there and bought other，and I had occasion for a thousand dinars.So thy sire Taj al-Din weighed them out[446]for me，all unknowing me，and would take no written word of me；but had patience with me till I returned hither and sent him the amount by one of my servants，together with a gift.I saw thee；whilst thou wast little；and，if it please Allah the Most High，I will repay thee somewhat of the kindness thy father did me.'When Nur al-Din heard the old man's story，he showed joy and pulling out with a smile the purse of a thousand dinars，gave it to his host the Shaykh and said to him，'Take charge of this deposit for me，against I buy me somewhat of merchandise whereon to trade.'
Then he abode some time in Alexandria city taking his pleasure every day in its thoroughfares，eating and drinking ad indulging himself with mirth and merriment till he had made an end of the hundred dinars he had kept by way of spending-money；whereupon he repaired to the old druggist，to take of him somewhat of the thousand dinars to spend，but found him not in his shop and took a seat therein to await his return.He sat there gazing right and left and amusing himself with watching the merchants and passers-by，and as he was thus engaged behold，there came into the bazar a Persian riding on a she-mule and carrying behind him a damsel；as she were argent of alloy free or a fish Balti[447] in mimic sea or a doe-gazelle on desert lea.Her face outshone the sun in shine and she had witching eyne and breasts of ivory white，teeth of marguerite，slender waist and sides dimpled deep and calves like tails of fat sheep；[448]
and indeed she was perfect in beauty and loveliness，elegant stature and symmetrical grace，even as saith one，describing her，[449]
'Twas as by will of her she was create * Nor short nor long，but Beauty's mould and mate：
Rose blushes reddest when she sees those cheeks * And fruits the bough those marvel charms amate：
Moon is her favour，Musk the scent of her * Branch is her shape：
she passeth man's estate：
'Tis e'en as were she cast in freshest pearl * And every limblet shows a moon innate.'
Presently the Persian lighted down from his she-mule and，making the damsel also dismount，loudly summoned the broker and said to him as soon as he came，'Take this damsel and cry her for sale in the market.'So he took her and leading her to the middlemost of the bazar disappeared for a while and presently he returned with a stool of ebony，inlaid with ivory，and setting it upon the ground，seated her thereon.Then he raised her veil and discovered a face as it were a Median targe[450] or a cluster of pearls：[451] and indeed she was like the full moon，when it filleth on its fourteenth night，accomplished in brilliant beauty.As saith the poet；'Vied the full moon for folly with her face，* But was eclipsed[452] and split for rage full sore；
And if the spiring Ban with her contend * Perish her hands who load of fuel bore！'[453]
And how well saith another；'Say to the fair in the wroughten veil * How hast made that monk-like worshipper ail？
Light of veil and light of face under it * Made the hosts of darkness to fly from bale；
And，when came my glance to steal look at cheek.* With a meteor-shaft the Guard made me quail.'[454]
