Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/31

13 wherefore, as I sat with her [one day], I bethought me of [coming] separation from her and my tears streamed down upon my cheeks like rivers, and I became not knowing night from day. Quoth she, “Why dost thou weep?” And I answered, “O light of mine eyes, I weep because of our [coming] parting.” “And what,” asked she, “shall part thee and me, O my lord?” “O my lady,” said I, “from the time I came to thee, thy father hath taken of me, for every night, five hundred dinars, and now I have nothing left. Indeed the poet speaks sooth when he says:

“Know,” rejoined she, “that it is my father’s wont, whenas a merchant abideth with him and hath spent all his money, to give him hospitality three days; then doth he put him out and he may never return to us. But keep thou thy secret and conceal thy case and I will contrive so that thou shalt abide with me till such time as God will; for, indeed, there is a great love for thee in my heart. Thou must know that all my father’s wealth is under my hand and he knows not the tale thereof; so, every day, I will give thee a purse of five hundred dinars, which do thou give him, saying, ‘Henceforth, I will pay thee only day by day.’ He will hand the purse to me, and I will give it to thee again, and we will abide thus till such time as God pleases.”

I thanked her and kissed her hand; and on this wise I abode with her a whole year, till it chanced one day that she beat one of her handmaids grievously and the latter said, “By Allah, I will torture thy heart, even as thou hast tortured me!” So she went to the girl’s father and discovered to him all our practice, whereupon he arose forthright and coming in to me, as I sat with his daughter, said to me, “Harkye, such an one!” “At thy