Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/372

342 “No,” answered I; and she said, “The words are so and so’s and the air is Isaac’s.” “And hath Isaac then (may I be thy ransom!) such a talent?” asked I. “Glory be to Isaac!” replied she. “Indeed he excels in this art.” “Glory be to Allah,” exclaimed I, “who hath given this man what He hath vouchsafed unto none other!” And she said, “How would it be, if thou heardest this song from himself?” Thus did we till break of day, when there came to her an old woman, as she were her nurse, and said to her, “The time is come.” So she rose and said to me, “Keep what hath passed between us to thyself; for meetings of this kind are in confidence.” “May I be thy ransom!” answered I. “I needed no enjoinder of this.” Then I took leave of her and she sent a damsel to open the door to me; so I went forth and retuned to my own house, where I prayed the morning prayermorning-prayer [sic] and slept.

Presently, there came to me a messenger from the Khalif; so I went to him and passed the day in his company. When the night came, I called to mind my yesternight’s pleasure, a thing from which none but a fool could be content to abstain, and betook myself to the street, where I found the basket, and seating myself therein, was drawn up to the place in which I had passed the previous night. When the lady saw me, she said, “Indeed, thou art assiduous,” And I answered, “Meseems rather that I am neglectful.” Then we fell to conversing and passed the night as before in talking and reciting verses and telling rare stories, each in turn, till daybreak, when I returned home. I prayed the morning prayermorning-prayer [sic] and slept, and there came to me a messenger from Mamoun. So I went to him and spent the day with him till nightfall, when he said to me, “I conjure thee to sit here, whilst I go on an occasion and come back.” As soon as he was gone, my thoughts turned to the lady and calling to mind my late