Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 3.djvu/107

89 and rarities; but I have paid no heed unto aught of this; so how shall I accept of this fellow, who is the fool of his time and possesseth nought but two caskets of rubies, which he gave to my father, and indeed he hath taken up his abode in the house of El Ghitrif and abideth without silver or gold? Wherefore, I conjure thee by Allah, O nurse, return to him and cut off his hope of me.”

Accordingly the nurse returned to El Abbas, without letter or answer; and when she came in to him, he saw that she was troubled and noted the marks of chagrin on her face; so he said to her, “What is this plight?” Quoth she, “I cannot set out to thee that which Mariyeh said; for indeed she charged me return to thee without letter or answer.” “O nurse of kings,” rejoined El Abbas, “I would have thee carry her this letter and return not to her without it.” Then he took inkhorn and paper and wrote the following verses:

My secret is disclosed, the which I strove to hide; Of thee and of thy love enough have I abyed. My kinsmen and my friends for thee I did forsake And left them weeping tears that poured as ’twere a tide. Yea, to Baghdad I came, where rigour gave me chase And I was overthrown of cruelty and pride. Repression’s draught, by cups, from the beloved’s hand I’ve quaffed; with colocynth for wine she hath me plied. Oft as I strove to make her keep the troth of love, Unto concealment’s ways still would she turn aside.