Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/41

29 wealth and I fear lest it go from me.’ Quoth the Jew, ‘Wilt thou be my partner, and I will be thine and a true friend and comrade to thee at home and abroad, and I will teach thee to sell and buy and give and take?’ And Mesrour said, ‘With all my heart.’

So the merchant carried him to his house and seated him in the vestibule, whilst he went in to his wife and said to her, ‘I have taken me a partner and have bidden him hither as a guest; so do thou prepare us a handsome entertainment.’ When she heard this, she rejoiced, doubting not but this was Mesrour, and made ready a magnificent banquet, of her joy in the success of her device. Then said her husband to her, ‘Come out with me to him and bid him welcome and say, “Thou gladdenest us [with thy company].”’ But she made a show of anger, saying, ‘Wilt thou have me discover myself to a strange man? God forbid! Though thou cut me in pieces, I will not appear before him!’ ‘Why shouldst thou be abashed at him,’ rejoined he, ‘seeing that he is a Nazarene and we are Jews and we are become associates, he and I?’ Quoth she, ‘It liketh me not to present myself before a strange man, on whom I have never set eyes and whom I know not.’

He thought she spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her, till she rose and veiling herself, took the food and went out to Mesrour and bade him welcome; whereupon he bowed his head, as he were ashamed, and the Jew, seeing this, said in himself, ‘Doubtless, this man is a devotee.’ They ate their fill and the table being removed, wine was set on. As for Zein el Mewasif, she sat over against her lover and gazed on him and he on her till ended day, when Mesrour went home, with a heart on fire and the Jew abode pondering the grace and goodliness of his new partner. As soon as it was night, his wife brought him the evening mealevening-meal [sic] and they sat down to eat.