And presently she added,[FN#213]

“I hid his phantom, by the Lord, but showed * My looks the blush
     his scented cheek had sent: 
How veil the joy his love bestows, when I * To blood-red[FN#214]
     tears on cheek give open vent,
When his uplighted cheek my heart enfires * As though a-morn in
     flame my heart were pent? 
By Allah, ne’er my love for you I’ll change * Though change my
     body and to change consent.

And when Al-Hayfa had finished her improvisation and her poetry, Yusuf drained the goblet and after kissing it returned it to her; but he was as one a-swoon.  Then she took it from him and he recovered and presently declaimed for her the following couplets,

“A maiden in your tribe avails my heart with love to fire[FN#215]
     * And how can I a-hidden bear the love my eyes declare? 
The branches of the sand-hill tree remember and recall * What
     time she softly bent and showed a grace beyond compare;
And taught me how those eyne o’erguard the roses of her cheek *
     And knew to ward them from the hand to cull her charms would
     dare.”

As soon as Yusuf had finished his improvisation and what of poetry he had produced, Al-Hayfa took seat by his side and fell to conversing with him in sweetest words with softest smiles, the while saying, “Fair welcome to thee, O wonder of beauty and lovesome in eloquence and O charming in riant semblance and lord of high degree and clear nobility:  thou hast indeed illumined our place with the light of thy flower-like forehead and to our hearts joyance hast thou given and our cares afar hast thou driven and eke our breasts hast made broad; and this is a day of festival to laud, so do thou solace our souls and drain of our wine with us for thou art the bourne and end and aim of our intent.”  Then Al-Hayfa took a cup of crystal, and crowning it with clear-strained wine which had been sealed with musk and saffron, she passed it to Prince Yusuf.  He accepted it from her albeit his hand trembled from what befel him of her beauty and the sweetness of her poetry and her perfection; after which he began to improvise these couplets,

“O thou who drainest thy morning wine * With friends in a bower
     sweet blooms enshrine
Place unlike all seen by sight of man * In the lands and gardens
     of best design—­,
Take gladly the liquor that quivers in cup * And elevates man,
     this clean aid of the Vine: 
This goblet bright that goes round the room * Nor Chosroes held
     neither Nu’uman’s line. 
Drink amid sweet flowers and myrtle’s scent * Orange-bloom and
     Lily and Eglantine,
And Rose and Apple whose cheek is dight * In days that glow with
     a fiery shine;
’Mid the music of strings and musician’s gear * Where harp and
     pipe with the lute combine;—­
An I fail to find her right soon shall I * Of parting perish
     foredeemed to die!”