Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/135

123 ‘O my son,’ said the old man, ‘meseems thou weepest for the damsel who sailed yesterday with the Frank?’ When Noureddin heard his words, he fell down in a swoon and lay awhile without life; then, coming to himself, he wept passing sore and recited the following verses:

The old man looked at him and noting his beauty and grace and symmetry and the eloquence of his tongue and the seductiveness of his charms, took compassion on him and his heart mourned for his case. Now he was the captain of a ship, bound to the damsel’s city, and in this ship were a hundred Muslim merchants: so he said to Noureddin, ‘Have patience and all shall yet be well; God willing, I will bring thee to her.’ ‘When shall we set out?’ asked Noureddin, and the other said, ‘Come but three days more and we will depart in peace and prosperity.’ Noureddin was mightily rejoiced at the captain’s words