Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/391

361 think to foregather with me unlawfully? By Allah, may he not live who would do the like of this sin and who takes pleasure in foul talk! I am a clean virgin, whom no man hath approached, nor am I unknown in the city. Knowest thou who I am?” “No, by Allah, O my lady!” replied I. Quoth she, “I am the lady Dunya, daughter of Yehya ben Khalid the Barmecide and sister of Jaafer, the Khalif’s Vizier.” When I heard this, I drew back from her, saying, “O my lady, it is no fault of mine if I have been over-bold with thee; it was thou didst encourage me to aspire to thy love, by giving me access to thee.” “No harm shall befall thee,” answered she; “and needs must thou attain thy desire in the way that is pleasing to God. I am my own mistress and the Cadi shall act as my guardian, in consenting to the marriage-contract; for it is my will that I be thy wife and thou my husband.” Then she sent for the Cadi and the witnesses and busied herself with the necessary preparations. When they came, she said to them, “Mohammed Ali ben Ali the jeweller seeks me in marriage and hath given me the necklace to my dowry; and I accept and consent.” So they drew up the contract of marriage between us; after which the servants brought the wine-service and the cups passed round, after the goodliest ordinance: and when the wine mounted to our heads, she ordered a damsel, a lute-player, to sing. So she took the lute and sang thereto the following verses:

He comes and shows me, all in one, fawn, moon and sapling slight: Foul fall the heart for thought of him that watches not the night! A fair one, Allah had a mind t’ extinguish from his cheek One ravishment, and straight, instead, another sprang to light. Whenas my censors speak of him, I cavil at their word, Feigning as if I did mislike the mention of the wight; Yea, and I hearken, when they speak of other than of him, Though for the thought of him, nathelesse, I am consumed outright. Prophet of beauty, all in him ’s a very miracle Of grace, and greatest of them all his face’s splendid sight.