Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/82

 And may the merciful God, O Prince, make smooth thy journey.

For truly saith Ibn Arus, c The dark night brought the prowler/ '

And I said, " I hear and obey/' yet ceased not to be troubled

Until the night should come. But near the hour of sunset

Alia arose and said, c< It is time." Then like a lion

Rose I, and roared, '^I hear and obey, thou daughter of Jaber." And Alia threw off her jewels, and she went out and I followed "With a loud-beating heart to the space beyond the tent ropes. And we walked in the space apart 'twixt Alia's and the mare's tent. And she held my hand as I went, like a lioness, I like a lion. And when we had come to that other tent, then she gazelle-like Stepping passed to the well, and into its depths went Alia. And presently came again with a goatskin filled with water. And she took from it the keys, and she opened wide the stable — For the night was dark — and within we heard the mare's feet stamping,