Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/87



"O day of joys to either lover fain! *         The loved one came and freed from lonely pain:     She blest me with all inner charms she hath; *         And companied with inner grace deep lain:     She made me drain the wine of love till I, *         Was faint with joys her love had made me drain:     We toyed and joyed and on each other lay; *         Then fell to wine and soft melodious strain:     And for excess of joyance never knew, *         How went the day and how it came again.     Fair fall each lover, may he union win *         And gain of joy like me the amplest gain;     Nor weet the taste of severance' bitter fruit *         And joys assain them as they us assain!"

Then they went forth and distributed to the folk alms and presents of money and raiment and rare gifts and other tokens of generosity; after which Rose-in-Hood bade clear the bath for her [FN#80] and, turning to Uns al-Wujud said to him, "O coolth of my eyes, I have a mind to see thee in the Hammam, and therein we will be alone together." He joyfully consented to this, and she let scent the Hammam with all sorts of perfumed woods and essences, and light the wax-candles. Then of the excess of her contentment she recited these couplets,

"O who didst win my love in other date *         (And Present e'er must speak of past estate);     And, oh! who art my sole sufficiency, *         Nor want I other friends with me to mate:     Come to the Hammam, O my light of eyes, *         And enter Eden through Gehenna-gate!     We'll scent with ambergris and aloes-wood *         Till float the heavy clouds with fragrant freight;     And to the World we'll pardon all her sins *         And sue for mercy the Compassionate;     And I will cry, when I descry thee there, *         'Good cheer, sweet love, all blessings on thee wait!'" [FN#81]

Whereupon they arose and fared to the bath and took their pleasure therein; after which they returned to their palace and there abode in the fulness of enjoyment, till there came to them