wakefulness wasteth him and care hath conquered him and his condition is a consternation to his friend.”  Quoth she, “My lady saluteth thee and him, and she hath written him a letter, for indeed she is in worse case than he; and she entrusted the same to me, saying, ’Do not return save with the answer; and do thou obey my bidding.’  Here now is the letter, so say, wilt thou wend with me to him that we may get his reply?” “I hear and obey,” answered Abu al-Hasan, and locking his shop and taking with him the girl he went, by a way different from that whereby he came, to Ali bin Bakkar’s house, where he left her standing at the door and walked in.—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

      When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan went with the girl to the house of Ali son of Bakkar, where he left her standing at the door and walked in to his great joy.  And Abu al-Hasan said to him, “The reason of my coming is that such an one hath sent his handmaid to thee with a letter, containing his greeting to thee and mentioning therein that the cause of his not coming to thee was a matter that hath betided him.  The girl standeth even now at the door:  shall she have leave to enter?”; and he signed to him that it was Shams al-Nahar’s slave-girl.  Ali understood his signal and answered, “Bring her in,” and when he saw her, he shook for joy and signed to her, “How doth thy lord?; Allah grant him health and healing!” “He is well,” answered she and pulling out the letter gave it to him.  He took it and kissing it, opened and read it; after which he handed it to Abu al-Hasan, who found these verses written therein,

     “This messenger shall give my news to thee; *
          Patience what while my sight thou canst not see: 
     A lover leav’st in love’s insanity, *
          Whose eyne abide on wake incessantly: 
     I suffer patience-pangs in woes that none *
          Of men can medicine;—­such my destiny! 
     Keep cool thine eyes; ne’er shall my heart forget, *
          Nor without dream of thee one day shall be. 
     Look what befel thy wasted frame, and thence *
          Argue what I am doomed for love to dree!

“And afterwards[FN#200]:  Without fingers[FN#201] I have written to thee, and without tongue I have spoken to thee * to resume my case, I have an eye wherefrom sleeplessness departeth not * and a heart whence sorrowful thought stirreth not * It is with me as though health I had never known * nor in sadness ever ceased to wone * nor spent an hour in pleasant place * but it is as if I were made up of pine and of the pain of passion and chagrin * Sickness unceasingly troubleth * and my yearning ever redoubleth * desire still groweth * and longing in my heart still gloweth * I pray Allah to hasten our union * and dispel of my mind the confusion * And I would fain thou favour