Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 4.djvu/257



And tell us all his words if he to hear your speech shall deign, * And unto him the tidings bear of lovers 'twixt you twain: And both vouchsafe to render me a service free and fain, * And lay my case before him showing how I e'er complain: And say, 'What ails thy bounder thrall this wise to               drive away,

Without a fault committed and without a sin to show; * Or heart that leans to other wight or would thy love forego: Or treason to our plighted troth or causing thee a throe?' * And if he smile then say ye twain in accents soft and slow, 'An thou to him a meeting grant 'twould be the kindest way!

For he is gone distraught for thee, as well indeed, he might * His eyes are wakeful and he weeps and wails the livelong night :' If seem he satisfied by this why then 'tis well and right, * But if he show an angry face and treat ye with despite, Trick him and 'Naught we know of him!' I beg you both to say.'

Quoth I to myself, 'Verily, if the owner of this voice be fair, she conjoineth beauty of person and eloquence and sweetness of voice.' Then I drew near the door, and began raising the curtain little by little, when lo! I beheld a damsel, white as a full moon when it mooneth on its fourteenth night, with joined eyebrows twain and languorous lids of eyne, breasts like pomegranates twin and dainty, lips like double carnelian, a mouth as it were the seal-of Solomon, and teeth ranged in a line that played with the reason of proser and rhymer, even as saith the poet,

'O pearly mouth of friend, who set those pretty pearls in line, * And filled thee full of whitest chamomile and reddest wine? Who lent the morning-glory in thy smile to shimmer and shine * Who with that ruby-padlock dared thy lips to seal-and sign! Who looks on thee at early morn with stress of joy and bliss * Goes mad for aye, what then of him who wins a kiss of     thine?'

And as saith another,

'O pearl-set mouth of friend * Pity poor Ruby's cheek Boast not o'er one who owns * Thee, union and unique.'

In brief she comprised all varieties of loveliness and was a seduction to men and women, nor could the gazer satisfy himself with the sight of her charms; for she was as the poet hath said of her,