Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/372

344 refuse me, but take this cup and drink it off and solace my heart.’ So he took it and drank it off and she filled a second cup and set it on the chandelier, saying, ‘O my lord, there is still this one left for thee.’ ‘By Allah, I cannot take it,’ answered he; ‘that which I have drunk suffices me.’ ‘By Allah,’ said she, ‘thou must indeed drink it.’ So he took the cup and drank; and she filled him a third cup, which he took and was about to drink, when behold, Noureddin opened his eyes and sitting up, exclaimed, ‘Hallo, Gaffer Ibrahim, what is this? Did I not adjure thee just now, and thou refusedst, saying, “I have not done such a thing these thirteen years”?’ ‘By Allah,’ replied he (and indeed he was abashed), ‘it is her fault, not mine.’ Noureddin laughed and they sat down again to carouse, but the damsel turned to Noureddin and whispered to him, ‘O my lord, drink and do not press him, and I will show thee some sport with him.’ Then she began to fill her master’s cup and he to fill to her, and so they did time after time, till at last Ibrahim looked at them and said, ‘What manner of good fellowship is this? God’s malison on the glutton who keeps the cup to himself! Why dost thou not give me to drink, O my brother? What manners are these, O Blessed One!’ At this they laughed till they fell backward; then they drank and gave him to drink and ceased not to carouse thus, till a third part of the night was past. Then said the damsel, ‘O Gaffer Ibrahim, with thy leave, I will light one of these candles.’ ‘Do so,’ said he; ‘but light no more than one.’ So she rose and beginning with one candle, lighted fourscore and sat down again. Presently Noureddin said, ‘O Gaffer Ibrahim, how stands my favour with thee? May I not light one of these lamps?’ ‘Light one,’ replied he, ‘and plague me no more.’ So Noureddin rose and lighted one lamp after another, till he had lighted the whole eighty and the palace seemed to dance with light.