Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/268

246 And to the enviers, ‘Die of sheer despite!’ I’d say; ‘By Allah, I have won my wishes to attain!’ Joy hath o’ercome me so, that, for the very stress Of that which gladdens me, to weeping I am fain. Tears are become to you a habit, O mine eyes, So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.

Then the slave-girls went out from her and Hassan took off the cap; whereupon his wife said to him, ‘See, O man, all this hath befallen me by reason of my having gainsaid thee and transgressed thy commandment and gone forth without thy leave. But, I conjure thee by Allah, reproach me not for mine offence and know that women know not a man’s worth till they have lost him. Indeed, I have sinned and done evil; but I crave pardon of God the Great for that I did, and if He reunite us, I will never again disobey thee in aught.’ Quoth Hassan (and indeed his heart ached for her), ‘It was not thou that sinnedst, but I, for I departed and left thee with one who knew not thy rank nor thy worth. But know, O beloved of my heart and fruit of mine entrails and light of mine eyes, that God (blessed be He!) hath given me power to release thee; so wouldst thou have me carry thee to thy father, there to accomplish what God decreeth unto thee, or wilt thou presently depart with me to my country, now that relief is come to thee?’ ‘Who can deliver me save the Lord of the skies?’ answered she. ‘Go to thine own country and put away from thee false hope; for thou knowest not the perils of these parts: but, if thou obey me not, thou wilt see.’ And she recited the following verses:

What thou wouldst have is law to me and pleasing in my sight! What ails thee, then, to look on me with anger and despite? Whate’er befell, now God forbid the love that was of old ’Twixt us should e’er forgotten be, forspent and ended quite! For from our side the spy ceased not, estrangement till he saw Between us, when he cast about our loves to disunite.