Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 4.djvu/158



"How patient bide, with love in sprite of me, * And tears in     tempest blinding sight of me? By Allah, life has no delight of me! * How gladden heart whose     core is blight of me?"

No sooner had the youth heard this poetry than he cried out with a loud cry and rent his raiment to the skirt: whereupon they let down the curtain over him and brought him another suit of clothes. He put it on and, sitting up as before, fell again to cheerful talk, till the cup came round to him, when he smote once more upon the gong and out came a eunuch with a chair, followed by a damsel fairer than she who forewent her. So she sat down on the chair, with a lute in her hand, and sang thereto these couplets,

"Cease ye this farness; 'bate this pride of you, * To whom my     heart clings, by life-tide of you! Have ruth on hapless, mourning, lover-wretch, * Desire-full,     pining, passion-tried of you: Sickness hath wasted him, whose ecstasy * Prays Heaven it may be     satisfied of you: Oh fullest moons that dwell in deepest heart! * How can I     think of aught by side of you?"

Now when the young man heard these couplets, he cried out with a great cry and rent his raiment, whereupon they let fall the curtain over him and brought him other robes. Then he returned to his former case with his boon-companions and the bowl went round as before, till the cup came to him, when he struck the gong a fourth time and the door opening, out came a page-boy bearing a chair followed by a damsel. He set the chair for her and