Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/332

304 My patience all, belovéd mine, for your estrangement’s spent: You’ve troubled all my life serene with rigour and disdain. ’Tis life to me, if you fulfil the vows you swore to me, And very death if you to me fulfilment will not deign. Grant that I’ve sinned, be bountiful; forgive me, for, by God, How sweet the loved one is, when he forgives and takes again!

When the Khalif read her letter and saw that she acknowledged her offence and sent to make her excuses to him therefor, he said, ‘Verily, God pardoneth all offences; for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’ And he returned her an answer, containing [assurance of] satisfaction and pardon and forgiveness for what was past, whereat she rejoiced greatly.

As for Khelifeh, the Khalif assigned him a monthly allowance of fifty dinars, by way of recompense, and took him into his especial favour. Then he kissed the earth before the Commander of the Faithful and went forth with stately gait. When he came to the door, the eunuch Sendel saw him and knowing him, said to him, ‘O fisherman, how camest thou by all this?’ So he told him all that had befallen him, first and last, whereat Sendel rejoiced, in that he had been the cause of his enrichment, and said to him, ‘Wilt thou not give me largesse of this wealth that is become thine?’ So Khelifeh put his hand to his pouch and taking out a purse containing a thousand dinars, gave it to the eunuch, who said, ‘Keep thy money and God bless thee in it!’ and marvelled at his generosity and at the liberality of his soul, for all his [late] poverty.

Then he mounted his mule and rode, with the slaves’ hands on her crupper, till he came to his lodging, whilst the folk stared at him and marvelled at that which had betided him of advancement. When he alighted,