Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/386

356 Sickness, for passion’s stress, hath wasted him to nought, And still for your consent to Allah he doth sue. O ye full moons, whose place of sojourn is my heart, Amongst the human race whom can I choose but you?

At this the young man gave a great cry and rent his clothes, whereupon they let fall the curtain over him and brought him other clothes. Then he returned to his former case with his boon-companions and the cup went round as before, till it came to him, when he struck the gong a fourth time and the door opening, out came a boy, bearing a chair and followed by a damsel. He set the chair for her and she sat down upon it and taking the lute, tuned it and sang to it these verses:

When the mock Khalif heard the girl’s song, he gave a great cry and tearing his clothes as before, fell down in a swoon; whereupon they would have let down the curtain over him, as of wont; but the cords stuck fast and Er Reshid, chancing to look at him, saw on his body the marks of beating with palm-rods and said to Jaafer, ‘By Allah, he is a handsome youth, but a foul thief!’ ‘Whence knowest thou that, O Commander of the Faithful?’ asked Jaafer, and the Khalif answered, ‘Sawst thou not the marks of whips on his sides?’ Then they let fall the curtain over him and brought him a fresh dress, which he