Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/235

207 They call on one departed, with cooing, as it were They’d drunken wine and madness did sojourn in their breast. Ne’er saw mine eyes, I swear it, the like of them for doves! They weep: yet not a tear-drop is from their eyes exprest.

And also these:

Then said he, ‘O Ibrahim, sing this song after me and do after the fashion thereof in thy singing and teach it to thy slave-girls.’ Quoth I, ‘Repeat it to me.’ But he answered, ‘There needs no repetition; thou hast it by heart,’ and vanished from my sight. At this I was amazed and running to my sword, drew it and made for the door of the harem, but found it closed and said to the women, ‘What have ye heard?’ Quoth they, ‘We have heard the sweetest and goodliest of singing.’ Then I went forth, in amazement, to the door of the house and finding it locked, questioned the doorkeepers of the old man. ‘What old man?’ said they. ‘By Allah, no one hath gone in to thee this day!’ So I returned, pondering the matter, when, behold, he cried out from one of the corners of the house, [though I saw none,] saying, ‘Fear not, O Abou Ishac; no harm shall befall thee. It is I, Abou Murreh, who have been thy boon-companion this day.’ Then I mounted