The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night Volume VIII Part 13

So haste to enjoy us and luck to thee! * Lest my folk come between us speed, love, all speed!

Hurry uswards thou, nor delay, and while * My mate is far, on Love's fruit come feed."

Then she folded the paper and gave it to Hubub the handmaid, who carried it to Masrur and found him weeping and reciting in a transport of pa.s.sion and love-longing these lines,

"A breeze of love on my soul did blow * That consumed my liver for stress of lowe; When my sweetheart went all my longings grew; * And with tears in torrent mine eyelids flow: Such my doubt and fears, did I tell their tale * To deaf rocks and pebbles they'd melt for woe.

Would Heaven I wot shall I sight delight, * And shall win my wish and my friend shall know!

Shall be folded up nights that doomed us part * And I be healed of what harms my heart?"

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that while Masrur, transported by pa.s.sion and love-longing, was repeating his couplets in sing-song tone Hubub knocked at his door; so he rose and opened to her, and she entered and gave him the letter.

He read it and said to her, "O Hubub, what is behind thee of thy lady's news[FN#325]?" She answered, "O my lord, verily, in this letter is that dispenseth me from reply, for thou art of those who readily descry!" Thereat he rejoiced with joy exceeding and repeated these two couplets,

"Came the writ whose contents a new joy revealed, * Which in vitals mine I would keep ensealed: And my longings grew when I kissed that writ, * As were pearl of pa.s.sion therein concealed."

Then he wrote a letter answering hers and gave it to Hubub, who took it and returned with it to her mistress and forthright fell to extolling his charms to her and expiating on his good gifts and generosity; for she was become a helper to him, to bring about his union with her lady. Quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O Hubub, indeed he tarrieth to come to us;" and quoth Hubub, "He will certainly come soon." Hardly had she made an end of speaking when behold, he knocked at the door, and she opened to him and brought him in to her mistress, who saluted him with the salam[FN#326]

and welcomed him and seated him by her side. Then she said to Hubub, "Bring me a suit of brocade;" so she brought a robe broidered with gold and Zayn al-Mawasif threw it over him, whilst she herself donned one of the richest dresses and crowned her head with a net of pearls of the freshest water. About this she bound a fillet of brocade, purfled with pearls, jacinths and other jewels, from beneath which she let down two tresses[FN#327]

each looped with a pendant of ruby, charactered with glittering gold, and she loosed her hair, as it were the sombrest night; and lastly she incensed herself with aloes-wood and scented herself with musk and ambergris, and Hubub said to her, "Allah save thee from the evil eye!" Then she began to walk, swaying from side to side with gracefullest gait, whilst Hubub who excelled in verse-making, recited in her honour these couplets,

"Shamed is the bough of Ban by pace of her; * And harmed are lovers by the gaze of her.

A moon she rose from murks, the hair of her, * A sun from locks the brow encase of her: Blest he she nights with by the grace of her, * Who dies in her with oath by days of her!"

So Zayn al-Mawasif thanked her and went up to Masrur, as she were full moon displayed. But when he saw her, he rose to his feet and exclaimed, "An my thought deceive me not, she is no human, but one of the brides of Heaven!" Then she called for food and they brought a table, about whose marge were written these couplets,[FN#328]

"Dip thou with spoons in saucers four and gladden heart and eye *

With many a various kind of stew and frica.s.see and fry.

Thereon fat quails (ne'er shall I cease to love and tender them) * And rails and fowls and dainty birds of all the kinds that fly.

Glory to G.o.d for the Kabobs, for redness all aglow, * And potherbs, steeped in vinegar, in porringers thereby!

Fair fall the rice with sweet milk dressed, wherein the hands did plunge * And eke the forearms of the fair were buried, bracelet-high!

How my heart yearneth with regret over two plates of fish * That by two manchet-cakes of bread of Tewarij[FN#329] did lie!"

Then they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment, after which the servants removed the table of food and set on the wine service; so cup and ta.s.se[FN#330] pa.s.sed round between them and they were gladdened in soul. Then Masrur filled the cup and saying, "O whose thrall am I and who is my mistress!"[FN#331]

chanted these improvised couplets,

"Mine eyes I admire that can feed their fill * On charms of a girl rising worlds to light: In her time she hath none to compare for gifts * Of spirit and body a mere delight.

Her shape breeds envy in Ca.s.sia-tree * When fares she forth in her symmetry dight: With luminous brow shaming moon of dark * And crown-like crescent the brightest bright.

When treads she earth's surface her fragrance scents * The Zephyr that breathes over plain and height."

When he ended his extempore song she said, "O Masrur, whoso religiously keepeth his faith and hath eaten our bread and salt, it behoveth us to give him his due; so put away from thee all thought of what hath been and I will restore thee thy lands and houses and all we have taken from thee." He replied, "O my lady, I acquit thee of that whereof thou speakest, though thou hadst been false to the oath and covenant between us; for I will go and become a Moslem." Zayn al-Mawasif protested that she would follow suit[FN#332] when Hubub cried to her, "O my lady, thou art young of years and knowest many things, and I claim the intercession of Almighty Allah with thee for, except thou do my bidding and heal my heart, I will not lie the night with thee in the house." And she replied, "O Hubub, it shall be as thou wilt. Rise and make us ready another sitting-room." So she sprang to her feet and gat ready a room and adorned and perfumed it after fairest fashion even as her lady loved and preferred; after which she again set on food and wine, and the cup went round between them and their hearts were glad.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fiftieth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn al-Mawasif bade her maid Hubub make ready a private sitting-room she arose and did her bidding, after which she again set food and wine before them and cup and ta.s.se went round gladdening their hearts. Presently quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O Masrur, come is the time of Union and favour; so, as thou studiest my love to savour recite us some verses surpa.s.sing of flavour. " Upon this he recited the following ode[FN#333],

"I am taken: my heart b.u.ms with living flame For Union shorn whenas Severance came, In the love of a damsel who forced my soul And with delicate cheeklet my reason stole.

She hath eyebrows united and eyes black-white And her teeth are leven that smiles in light: The tale of her years is but ten plus four; Tears like Dragon's blood[FN#334] for her love I pour.

First I saw that face 'mid parterre and rill, Outshining full Lune on horizon-hill; And stood like a captive for awe, and cried, ?Allah's Peace, O who in demesne[FN#335] doth hide!'

She returned my salam, gaily answering With the sweetest speech likest pearls a-string.

But when heard my words, she right soon had known My want and her heart waxed hard as stone, And quoth she, ?Be not this a word silly-bold?'

But quoth I, ?Refrain thee nor flyte and scold!

An to-day thou consent such affair were light; They like is the loved, mine the lover-wight!'

When she knew my mind she but smiled in mirth And cried, ?Now, by the Maker of Heaven and Earth!

I'm a Jewess of Jewry's driest e'er seen And thou art naught save a Nazarene.

Why seek my favours? Thine's other caste; An this deed thou do thou'lt repent the past.

Say, does Love allow with two Faiths to play?

Men shall blame thee like me, at each break of day!

Wilt thou laugh at beliefs and deride their rite, And in thine and mine prove thee sinful sprite?

An thou lovedest me thou hadst turned Jew, Losing worlds for love and my favours due; And by the Evangel strong oath hadst sworn To keep our secret intact from scorn!'

So I took the Torah and sware strong oath I would hold to the covenant made by both.

Then by law, religion and creed I sware, And bound her by oaths that most binding were; And asked her, ?Thy name, O my dear delight?'

And she, ?Zayn al-Mawasif at home I'm hight!'

?O Zayn al-Mawasif!' (cried I) ?Hear my call: Thy love hath made me thy veriest thrall!'

Then I peeped 'neath her chin-veil and 'spied such charms That the longing of love filled my heart with qualms.

'Neath the curtain I ceased not to humble me, And complain of my heart-felt misery; But when she saw me by Love beguiled She raised her face-veil and sweetly smiled: And when breeze of Union our faces kiss'd With musk-pod she scented fair neck and wrist; And the house with her essences seemed to drip, And I kissed pure wine from each smiling lip: Then like branch of Ban 'neath her robe she swayed And joys erst unlawful[FN#336] she lawful made: And joined, conjoined through our night we lay With clip, kiss of inner lip, langue fourree.

The world hath no grace but the one loved fere In thine arms to clasp with possession sheer!

With the morn she rose and she bade Good-bye While her brow shone brighter than moon a-sky; Reciting at parting (while tear-drops hung On her cheeks, these scattered and other strung),[FN#337]

?Allah's pact in mind all my life I'll bear And the lovely nights and strong oath I sware.'"

Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted and said to him, "O Masrur, how goodly are thy inner gifts! May he live not who would harm thy heart!" Then she entered her boudoir and called him: so he went in to her and taking her in his arms, embraced her and hugged her and kissed her and got of her that which he had deemed impossible and rejoiced in winning the sweet of amorous will. Then said she, "O Masrur, thy good is unlawful to me and is lawfully thine again now that we are become lovers." So she returned to him all she had taken of him and asked him, "O Masrur, hast thou a flower-garden whither we may wend and take our pleasure?"; whereto he answered, "Yes, O my lady, I have a garden that hath not its like." Then he returned to his lodgings and bade his slave-girls make ready a splendid banquet and a handsome room; after which he summoned Zayn al-Mawasif who came surrounded by her damsels, and they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment, whilst the cup pa.s.sed round between them and their spirits rose high. Then lover withdrew with beloved and Zayn al-Mawasif said to Masrur, "I have bethought me of some dainty verses, which I would fain sing to the lute." He replied, "Do sing them"; so she took the lute and tuning it, sang to a pleasant air these couplets,

"Joy from stroke of string doth to me incline, * And sweet is a-morning our early wine; Whenas Love unveileth the amourist's heart, * And by rending the veil he displays his sign, With a draught so pure, so dear, so bright, * As in hand of Moons[FN#338] the Sun's sheeny shine O' nights it cometh with joy to 'rase * The h.o.a.r of sorrow by boon divine."

Then ending her verse, she said to him, "O Masrur, recite us somewhat of thy poetry and favour us with the fruit of thy thought." So he recited these two couplets,

"We joy in full Moon who the wine bears round, * And in concert of lutes that from gardens sound; Where the dove moans at dawn and where bends the bough * To Morn, and all pathways of pleasure are found."

When he had finished his recitation she said to him, "Make us some verses on that which hath pa.s.sed between us an thou be occupied with love of me."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-first Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn al-Mawasif said to Masrur, "An thou be occupied with love of me, make us some verses on that hath pa.s.sed between us," "With love and gladness," he replied and improvised the following Kasidah[FN#339],

"Stand thou and hear what fell to me * For love of you gazelle to dree!

Shot me a white doe with her shaft * O' glances wounding woundily.

Love was my ruin, for was I * Straitened by longing ecstasy: I loved and woo'd a young coquette * Girded by strong artillery, Whom in a garth I first beheld * A form whose sight was symmetry.

I greeted her and when she deigned * Greeting return, ?Salam,'

quoth she ?What be thy name?' said I, she said, * ?My name declares my quality![FN#340]'

?Zayn al-Mawasif I am hight.' * Cried I, ?Oh deign I mercy see,'

?Such is the longing in my heart * No lover claimeth rivalry!'

Quoth she, ?With me an thou 'rt in love * And to enjoy me pleadest plea, I want of thee oh! muchel wealth; * Beyond all compt my wants o'

thee!

I want o' thee full many a robe * Of sendal, silk and damaskry; A quarter quintal eke of musk: * These of one night shall pay the fee.

Pearls, unions and carnelian[FN#341]-stones * The bestest best of jewelry!'

Of fairest patience showed I show * In contrariety albe: At last she favoured me one night * When rose the moon a crescent wee; An stranger blame me for her sake * I say, ?O blamers listen ye!

She showeth locks of goodly length * And black as blackest night its blee; While on her cheeks the roses glow * Like Laza-flame incendiary: In every eyelash is a sword * And every glance hath archery: Her liplets twain old wine contain, * And dews of fount-like purity: Her teeth resemble strings o' pearls, * Arrayed in line and fresh from sea: Her neck is like the neck of doe, * Pretty and carven perfectly: Her bosom is a marble slab * Whence rise two b.r.e.a.s.t.s like towers on lea: And on her stomach shows a crease * Perfumed with rich perfumery; Beneath which same there lurks a Thing * Limit of mine expectancy.

A something rounded, cushioned-high * And plump, my lords, to high degree: To me 'tis likest royal throne * Whither my longings wander free; There 'twixt two pillars man shall find * Benches of high-built tracery.

It hath specific qualities * Drive sanest men t' insanity; Full mouth it hath like mouth of neck * Or well begirt by stony key; Firm lips with camelry's compare * And shows it eye of cramoisie.