Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/84



I have no helper [FN#76] but my tears that ever flow in fount, * And as they flow, they lighten woe and force my grief to flee. My longing is so violent naught like it ere was seen; * My love-tale is a marvel and my love a sight to see: I spend the night with lids of eye that never close in sleep, * And pass in passion twixt the Hells and Edens heavenly. I had of patience fairish store, but now no more have I; * And love's sole gift to me hath been aye-growing misery: My frame is wasted by the pain of parting from my own, * And longing changed my shape and form and made me other be. Mine eyelids by my torrent tears are chafed, and ulcerate, * The tears, whose flow to stay is mere impossibility. My manly strength is sore impaired for I have lost my heart; * How many griefs upon my griefs have I been doomed to dree! My heart and head are like in age with similar hoariness * By loss of Beauty's lord, [FN#77] of lords the galaxy: Despite our wills they parted us and doomed us parted wone, * While they (our lords) desire no more than love in unity. Then ah, would Heaven that I wot if stress of parting done, * The world will grant me sight of them in union fain and free-- Roll up the scroll of severance which others would unroll-- * Efface my trouble by the grace of meeting's jubilee! And shall I see them homed with me in cup-company, * And change my melancholic mood for joy and jollity?"

And when he had ended his verses the King cried aloud, "By Allah, ye are indeed a pair of lovers true and fain and in Beauty's heaven of shining stars a twain: your story is wondrous and your case marvellous." Then he told him all that had befalled Rose-in-Hood; and Uns al-Wujud said, "Where is she, O King of the age?" "She is with me now," answered Dirbas and, sending for the Kazi and the witnesses, drew up the contract of marriage between her and him. Then he honoured Uns al-Wujud with favours and bounties and sent to King Shamikh acquainting him with what had befallen, whereat this King joyed with exceeding joy and wrote back the following purport. "Since the ceremony of contract hath been performed at thy court, it behoveth that the marriage and its consummation be at mine." Then he made ready camels, horses and men and sent them in quest of the pair; and when the embassy reached King Dirbas, he gave the