Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/42

30 Now he had a mocking-bird, that was used, whenas he sat down to meat, to come and eat with him and hover about his head; but in his absence it was grown familiar with Mesrour and used to eat with him and hover about him. When its master returned, it knew him not and would not draw near him, and this made him thoughtful. As for Zein el Mewasif, she could not sleep for thinking of Mesrour, and thus it was with her three nights, till the Jew became aware of her distraction and watching her, began to suspect something wrong. On the fourth night, he awoke in the middle of the night and heard his wife talking in her sleep and calling upon Mesrour, what while she lay in her husband’s arms, wherefore he misdoubted of her; but he dissembled his suspicions and on the morrow betook himself to his shop and sat there. Presently, up came Mesrour and saluted him. He returned his greeting and said to him, ‘Welcome, O my brother! I have wished for thee;’ and he sat talking with him awhile, after which he said to him, ‘O my brother, come with me to my house, that we may enter into the pact of brotherhood.’ ‘With all my heart,’ replied Mesrour and they went to the Jew’s house, where the latter went in and told his wife of Mesrour’s coming, saying, ‘Make us ready a goodly entertainment, and needs must thou be present and witness our brotherhood.’ But she answered, ‘God on thee, cause me not show myself to this strange man, for I have no mind to company with him.’ So he forbore to press her and bade the waiting-women bring meat and drink. Then he called the mocking-bird, but it knew him not and settled in Mesrour’s lap; and the Jew said to him, ‘O my lord, what is thy name?’ and he answered, ‘Mesrour.’ Whereupon the Jew remembered that this was the name which his wife had repeated all night long in her sleep.