“O passing Fair[FN#449] I have none else but
thee; * Pity this
slave in thy love’s
slavery!
Thou art my search, my joy and my desire! * None save
thyself
shall love this heart
of me:
Would Heaven I knew thou knewest of my wails * Night-long
and
eyelids oped by memory.
Bid sleep to soourn on these eyen-lids * Haply in
vision I thy
sight shall see.
Show favour then to one thus love-distraught:
* Save him from
ruin by thy cruelty!
Allah increase thy beauty and thy weal; * And be thy
ransom
every enemy!
So shall on Doomsday lovers range beneath * Thy flag,
and
beauties ’neath
thy banner be.”
Then he wept and recited these also,
“That rarest beauty ever bides my foe * Who
holds my heart and
lurks in secresy:
Speaking, I speak of nothing save her charms * And
when I’m
dumb in heart-core woneth
she.”
Then he wept sore and recited the following,
“And in my liver higher flames the fire; * You
are my wish and
longsome still I yearn:
To you (none other!) bend I and I hope * (Lovers long-
suffering are!) your
grace to earn;
And that you pity me whose frame by Love * Is waste
and weak
his heart with sore
concern:
Relent, be gen’rous, tender-hearted, kind:
* From you I’ll
ne’er remove,
from you ne’er turn!”
Then he wept and recited these also,
“Came to me care when came the love of thee,
* Cruel sleep
fled me like thy cruelty:
Tells me the messenger that thou are wroth: *
Allah forfend
what evils told me he!”
Presently Sa’id waxed weary of awaiting him and going forth in quest of him, found him walking in the garden, distraught and reciting these two couplets,
“By Allah, by th’ Almighty, by his right[FN#450]
* Who read
the Koran-Chapter ’Fatir[FN#451]
hight;
Ne’er roam my glances o’er the charms
I see; * Thy grace, rare
beauty, is my talk by
night.”
So he joined him and the twain walked about the garden together solacing themselves and ate of its fruits. Such was their case;[FN#452] but as regards the two Princesses, they came to the pavilion and entering therein after the eunuchs had richly furnished it, according to command, sat down on the couch of gold, beside which was a window that gave upon the garden. The castratos then set before them all manner rich meats and they ate, Daulat Khatun feeding her foster-sister by mouthfuls,[FN#453] till she was satisfied; when she called for divers kinds of sweetmeats, and when the neutrals brought them, they ate what they would of them and washed their hands. After this Daulat Khatun made ready wine and its service, setting on the ewers and bowls and she proceeded to crown the cups and give Badi’a al-amal to drink, filling for herself after and drinking in turn. The Badi’a al-Jamal looked from the window into the garden and gazed upon the fruits and branches that were therein, till her glance fell on Sayf al-Muluk, and she saw him wandering about the parterres, followed by Sa’id, and she heard him recite verses, raining the while railing tears. And that glance of eyes cost her a thousand signs,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.