Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/73

61 the morrow she sent for the Cadi and the witnesses and told them that she was a widow and had completed the period of purification and was minded to marry Mesrour. So they drew up the marriage-contract between them and they abode in all delight of life.

Meanwhile, the Jew, when the people of Aden released him from prison, set out homeward and fared on, without stopping, till he came within three days’ journey of the city, when Zein el Mewasif heard of his coming and calling Huboub, said to her, ‘Go to the Jews’ burial-place and there dig a grave and plant on it sweet basil and jessamine and sprinkle water thereabout. If the Jew come and ask thee of me, answer, “My mistress died twenty days ago of chagrin on thine account.” If he say, “Show me her tomb,” take him to the [mock] grave and weep over it and make moan and lament before him.’ And Huboub answered, ‘I hear and obey.’ Then they laid up the furniture in the store-closets, and Zein el Mewasif removed to Mesrour’s lodging, where he and she abode eating and drinking, till the three days were past; at the end of which time the Jew arrived and knocked at the door of his house. Quoth Huboub, ‘Who is at the door?’ And he answered, ‘Thy master.’ So she opened to him and he saw the tears coursing down her cheeks and said to her, ‘What ails thee to weep and where is thy mistress?’ Quoth she, ‘My mistress is dead of chagrin on thine account.’ When he heard this, he wept sore and was confounded and said, ‘O Huboub, where is her tomb?’ So she carried him to the Jews’ burial-ground and showed him the grave she had dug; and he wept sore and recited the following verses: