Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/168

 seated himself at the door of the woman's booth. [FN#207] She asked him what he wanted, and he told her that he was in love with her whereupon she turned from him; but he abode in his place three days without tasting food, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. Now whenas she saw that he departed not from her, she went to her people and acquainted them with his case, and they set on him the village boys, who stoned him and bruised his ribs and broke his head; but, for all this, he would not budge. Then the villagers took counsel together to slay him; but a man of them came to me and told me of his case, and I went out to him and found him lying prostrate on the ground. So I wiped the blood from his face and carried him to the convent, and dressed his wounds; and there he abode with me fourteen days. But as soon as he could walk, he left the monastery"-- And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abdallah the Religious continued: "So I carried him to the convent and dressed his wounds, and he abode with me fourteen days. But as soon as he could walk, he left the monastery and returned to the door of the woman 's booth, where he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw him she came out to him and said, 'By Allah thou movest me to pity! wilt thou enter my faith that I may marry thee?' He cried, 'Allah forbid that I should put off the faith of Unity and enter that of Plurality!' [FN#208] Quoth she, 'Come in with me to my house and take thy will of me and wend thy ways in peace.' Quoth he, 'Not so, I will not waste the worship of twelve years for the lust of an eye-twinkle.' Said she, 'Then depart from me forthwith;' and he said, 'My heart will not suffer me to do that;' whereupon she turned her countenance from him. Presently the boys found him out and began to pelt him with stones; and he fell on his face, saying, 'Verily, Allah is my protector, who sent down the Book of the Koran; and He protecteth