Page:The Shaving of Shagpat.djvu/98

82 He thrust the wine-cup to her, and she lifted it under her veil, and then sang, in answer to him:

Now, Aswarak divined not her meaning, and was enraptured with her, and cried, 'Wullahy! so and such thy love! Thine am I, thine! And what a music is thy voice, O my mistress! 'Twere a bliss to Eblis in his torment could he hear it. Life of my head! and is thy beauty increased by me? Nay, thou flatterer!' Then he said to her, 'Away with these importunate dogs! 'tis the very hour of tenderness! Wullahy! they offend my nostril: stung am I at the sight of them.'

She rejoined,—


 * O Aswarak! star of the morn!

Thou that wakenest my beauty from night and scorn,