Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/192

170 days after her husband’s departure, and on the third day, she said to her, ‘Glory be to God! Have I lived with him three years and shall I never go to the bath?’ Then she wept and Hassan’s mother took pity on her and said to her, ‘O my daughter, we are strangers here and my husband is abroad. Were he at home, he would serve thee himself, but, as for me, I know no one. However, O my daughter, I will heat thee water and wash thy head in the bath that is in the house.’ ‘O my lady,’ answered the princess, ‘hadst thou spoken thus to one of the slave-girls, she had demanded to be sold in the open market and had not abode with thee. Men are excusable, for they are jealous and their reason tells them that, if a woman go forth the house, belike she will do lewdness. But, O my lady, women are not all alike and thou knowest that, if a woman have a mind to aught, whether it be the bath or what not else, none may avail against her, to guard her or keep her or debar her from her desire; and nought restraineth her but her reason and her religion.’

Then she wept and cursed and bemoaned herself and her strangerhood, till Hassan’s mother was moved to pity for her case and knew that all she said was true and that there was nothing for it but to let her have her will. So she committed the affair to God (extolled and exalted be He!) and making ready all that they needed for the bath, took her and went with her thither. She carried her two little sons with her, and when they entered, they put off their clothes and all the women fell to gazing on the princess and glorifying God (to whom belong might and majesty) for that He had created so glorious a form. The report of her was noised abroad in Baghdad and the women of the city flocked to gaze upon her, till the bath was so crowded that there was no passing through it.

Now, as destiny would have it, there was present that day, with the rest of the women in the bath, one of the