Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/268

246 brought me wine, saying, ‘Take it for it will dispel thy care: thou must indeed drink and tell me what is the matter with thee.’ ‘Must I tell thee?’ said I; and she answered, ‘Yes.’ Then said I, ‘If it must be so, give me to drink with thine own hand.’ So she filled and drank then filled again and gave me the cup. I took it from her with my left hand and repeated the following verses with tears running from my eyes:

At this she gave a loud cry and said to me, ‘What makes thee weep? Thou settest my heart on fire. And what ails thee to take the cup with thy left hand?’ ‘I have a boil on my right hand,’ answered I; and she said, ‘Put it out and I will lance it for thee.’ ‘It is not ripe for lancing,’ answered I; ‘so do not torment me, for I will not show it thee at present.’ Then I drank off the cup, and she plied me with wine till I became drowsy and fell asleep in my place; whereupon she looked at my right arm and saw that it was but a stump without a hand. So she searched me and found the purse of gold and my severed hand wrapt in a piece of rag. With this, there overcame her such grief as none ever knew, and she ceased not to lament for my sake till the morning. When I awoke, I found she had made me a dish of broth of four boiled fowls, which she brought to me, together with a cup of wine. I ate and drank and laying down the purse, would have gone out; but she said to me, ‘Whither goest thou?’ ‘Where my business calls me,’ replied I; and she said, ‘Thou shalt not go: sit down.’ So I sat down, and she said, ‘Has thy love for me brought thee to such