The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 8 - Sir Richard Francis Burton (best e reader for epub .TXT) 📗

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, �Sal�m,’

quoth she

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

�Zayn al-Maw�sif 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 Laz�-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 breasts 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.

An draw thou nigh with doughty will * To do thy doing lustily, Thou’ll find it fain to face thy bout * And strong and fierce in valiancy.

It bendeth backwards every brave * Shorn of his battle-bravery.

At times imberbe, but full of spunk * To battle with the Paynimry.

‘T will show thee liveliness galore * And perfect in its raillery:

Zayn alMawasif it is like * Complete in charms and courtesy.

To her dear arms one night I came * And won meed given lawfully: I passed with her that self-same night * (Best of my nights!) in gladdest glee;

And when the morning rose, she rose * And crescent like her visnomy:

Then swayed her supple form as sway * The lances lopt from limber tree;

And when farewelling me she cried, * �When shall such nights return to me?’

Then I replied, �O eyen-light, * When He vouchsafeth His decree!’”[FN#342]

 

Zayn alMawasif was delighted with this Ode and the utmost gladness gat hold of her. Then said she, “O Masrur day-dawn draweth nigh and there is naught for it save to fly for fear of scandal and spy!” He replied, “I hear and obey,” and rising led her to her lodging, after which he returned to his quarters[FN#343] and passed the rest of the night pondering on her charms. When the morning morrowed with its sheen and shone, he made ready a splendid present and carried it to her and sat by her side. And thus they abode awhile, in all solace of life and its delight, till one day there came to Zayn alMawasif a letter from her husband reporting to her his speedy return. Thereupon she said in herself, “May Allah not keep him nor quicken him! If he come hither, our life will be troubled: would Heaven I might despair of him!” Presently entered Masrur and sat with her at chat, as was his wont, whereupon she said to him, “O Masrur, I have received a missive from my mate, announcing his speedy return from his wayfaring. What is to be done, since neither of us without other can live?” He replied, “I know not; but thou art better able to judge, being acquainted with the ways of thy man, more by token that thou art one of the sharpest-witted of women and past mistress of devices such as devise that whereof fail the wise.” Quoth she, “He is a hard man and jealous of his household: but, when he shall come home and thou hearest of his coming, do thou repair to him and salute him and sit down by his side, saying, �O my brother, I am a druggist.’ Then buy of him somewhat of drugs and spices of sorts and call upon him frequently and prolong thy talks with him and gainsay him not in whatsoever he shall bid thee; so haply that I would contrive may betide, as it were by chance.” “I hear and I obey,” quoth Masrur and fared forth from her, with heart a-fire for love. When her husband came home, she rejoiced in meeting him and after saluting him bade him welcome; but he looked in her face and seeing it pale and sallow (for she bad washed it with saffron, using one of women’s arts), asked her of her case. She answered that she had been sick, she and her women, from the time of his wayfaring, adding, “Verily, our hearts have been engrossed with thoughts of thee because of the length of thine absence.” And she went on to complain to him of the misery of separation and to pour forth copious tears, saying, “Hadst thou but a companion with thee, my heart had not borne all this cark and care for thee. So, Allah upon thee, O my lord, travel not again without a comrade and cut me not off from news of thee, that my heart and mind may be at rest concerning thee!”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

 

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-second Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn alMawasif said to her mate, “Travel not without comrade and cut me not off from news of thee, that my heart and mind may be at rest concerning thee,” he replied, “With love and gladness! By Allah thy bede is good indeed and right is thy rede! By thy life, it shall be as thou dost heed.” Then he unpacked some of his stock-in-trade and carrying the goods to his shop, opened it and sat down to sell in the Soko.[FN#344] No sooner had he taken his place than lo and behold! up came Masrur and saluting him, sat down by his side and began talking and talked with him awhile.

Then he pulled out a purse and taking forth gold, handed it to Zayn alMawasif’s man and said, “Give me the worth of these dinars in drugs and spices of sorts, that I may sell them in my shop.” The Jew replied, “I hear and I obey,” and gave him what he sought. And Masrur continued to pay him frequent visits till, one day, the merchant said to him, “I have a mind to take me a man to partner in trade.” Quoth Masrur, “And I also, desire to take a partner; for my father was a merchant in the land of Al-Yaman and left me great store of money and I fear lest it fare from me.”

Quoth the Jew, turning towards him, “Wilt thou be my partner, and I will be thy partner and a true friend and comrade to thee at home and abroad; and I will teach thee selling and buying, giving and taking?” And Masrur rejoined, “With all my heart.” So the merchant carried him to his place and seated him in the vestibule, whilst he went in to his wife and said to her, “I have provided me with a partner and have bidden him hither as a guest; so do thou get us ready good guest-cheer.” Whenas she heard this, she rejoiced divining that it was Masrur, and made ready a magnificent banquet,[FN#345] of her delight in the success of her device. Then, when the guest drew nigh, her husband said to her, “Come out with me to him and bid him welcome and say, �Thou gladdenest us[FN#346]!’” But Zayn alMawasif made a show of anger, crying, “Wilt thou have me display myself before a strange man? I take refuge with Allah! Though thou cut me to bits, I will not appear before him!” Rejoined he, “Why shouldst thou be abashed at him, seeing that he is a Nazarene and we are Jews and, to boot, we are become chums, he and I?” Quoth she, “I am not minded to present myself before a strange man, on whom I have never once set eyes and whom I know not any wise.” Her husband thought she spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her, till she rose and veiling herself, took the food and went out to Masrur and welcomed him; whereupon he bowed his head groundwards, as he were ashamed, and the Jew, seeing such dejection said in himself, “Doubtless, this man is a devotee.” They ate their fill and the table being removed, wine was set on. As for Zayn alMawasif, she sat over against Masrur and gazed on him and he gazed on her till ended day, when he went home, with a heart to fire a prey. But the Jew abode pondering the grace and the comeliness of him; and, as soon as it was night, his wife according to custom served him with supper and they seated themselves before it. Now he had a mockingbird which was wont, whenever he sat down to meat, to come and eat with him and hover over his head; but in his absence the fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him as he sat at meals. Now when Masrur disappeared and the master returned, it knew him not and would not draw near him, and this made him thoughtful concerning his case and the fowl’s withdrawing from him. As for Zayn alMawasif, she could not sleep with her heart thinking of Masrur, and thus it was with her a second and even a third night, till the Jew became aware of her condition and, watching her while she sat distraught, began to suspect somewhat wrong. On the fourth night, he awoke in the middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep and naming Masrur, what while she lay on her husband’s bosom, wherefore he misdoubted her; but he dissembled his suspicions and when morning morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein.

Presently, up came Masrur and saluted him. He returned his salam and said to him, “Welcome, O my brother!” adding anon, “I have wished for thee;” and he sat talking with him for an hour or so, after which he said to him, “Rise, O my brother, and hie with me to my house, that we may enter into the pact of brotherhood.”[FN#347] Replied Masrur, “With joy and goodly gree,”

and they repaired to the Jew’s house, where the master went in and told his wife of Masrur’s visit, for the purpose of conditioning their partnership, and said, “Make us ready a goodly entertainment, and needs must thou be present and witness our brotherhood.” But she replied, “Allah upon thee, cause me not show myself to this strange man, for I have no