Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 2.djvu/50

 3O Alf Laylah wa Laylah. amuse ourselves with looking at them." So the two climbed the tree and, peering in, heard Shaykh Ibrahim say, '*O my lady, I have cast away all gravity mine by the drinking of wine, but 'tis not sweet save with the soft sounds of the lute-strings it combine." " By Allah," replied Anis al-Jalis, " O Shaykh Ibrahim, an we had but some instrument of music our joyance were complete." Hearing this he rose to his feet and the Caliph said to Ja'afar, " I wonder what he is about to do!" and Ja'afar answered, "I know not." The Shaykh disappeared and presently reappeared bringing a lute ; and the Caliph took note of it and knew it for that of Abu Ishak the Cup-companion. 1 " By Allah," said the Caliph, " if this damsel sing ill I will crucify all of you ; but if she sing well I will forgive them and only gibbet thee." " O Allah cause her to sing vilely ! " quoth Ja'afar. Asked the Caliph, " Why so ?"; and he answered, "If thou crucify us all together, we shall keep one another com- pany," The Caliph laughed at his speech. Presently the damsel took the lute and, after looking at it and tuning it, she played a measure which made all hearts yearn to her ; then she sang these lines : O ye that can aid me, a wretched lover, o Whom longing burns nor can rest restore me ! Though all you have done I have well deserved, o I take refuge with you, so exult not o'er me : True, I am weak and low and vile, o But I'll bear your will and whatso you bore me : My death at your hands what brings it of glory ? I fear but your sin which of life forlore me ! Quoth the Caliph, " By Allah, good ! O Ja'afar, never in my life have I heard a voice so enchanting as this." "Then haply the Caliph's wrath hath passed away," said Ja'afar, and he replied, " Yes, 'tis gone." Thereupon they descended from the tree, and the Caliph said to Ja'afar, " I wish to go in and sit with them and hear the damsel sing before me." " O Commander of the Faith- ful," replied Ja'afar, " if thou go in to them they will be terribly troubled, and Shaykh Ibrahim will assuredly die of fright." But the Caliph answered, " O Ja'afar, thou must teach me some device wherewith to delude them and whereby I can foregather with them This worthy will be noticed in a subsequent page