Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/19

7 Indeed, she loves those who berhyme her and set forth her charms and her grace and beauty in verse, and we may not avail against her save by beguilement and soft speech and craft.’

Then she rose and going up to her mistress, talked with her privily of this and that and presently said to her, ‘O my lady, look at yonder young man, the Nazarene; how sweet is his discourse and how elegant his shape!’ When Zein el Mewasif heard this, she turned to her and said, ‘An his comeliness like thee, love him thyself. Art thou not ashamed to bespeak the like of me with these words? Go, bid him begone about his business; or it shall be the worse for him.’ So Huboub returned to Mesrour, but acquainted him not with that which her mistress had said. Then the latter bade her go to the door and look if she saw any of the folk, lest foul befall them. So she went and returning, said, ‘O my lady, there are folk in plenty without and we cannot let him go forth to-night.’ Quoth Zein el Mewasif, ‘I am troubled because of a dream I have had and am fearful by reason thereof.’ And Mesrour said, ‘What sawest thou [in thy dream?] May God not trouble thy heart!’ ‘I was asleep in the middle of the night,’ answered she, ‘and behold an eagle swooped down upon me from the highest of the clouds and would have carried me off from behind the curtain, wherefore I was affrighted at him. Then I awoke from sleep and bade my women bring me meat and drink, so haply, when I had drunken, the terror of the dream would cease from me.’

When he heard this, he smiled and told her his dream and how he had caught the dove, whereat she marvelled exceedingly. Then he went on to talk with her and said, ‘Now am I certified of the truth of my dream, for thou art the dove and I the eagle, and needs must this be, for,