第80章

Presently，the breeze blew on her and the scarf[315] fell from her head and discovered a fillet[316] of glittering gold，set with pearls and gems and jacinths；and on her breast was a necklace of all manner ring-jewels and precious stones，to the centre of which hung a sparrow of red gold，with feet of red coral and bill of white silver and body full of Nadd-powder and pure ambergris and odoriferous musk.And upon its back was engraved；'The Nadd is my wine-scented powder，my bread；* And the bosom's my bed and the breasts my stead：

And my neck-nape complains of the weight of love，* Of my pain；of my pine，of my drearihead.'

Then Masrur looked at the breast of her shift and behold，thereon lay wroughten in red gold this verse；'The fragrance of musk from the breasts of the fair * Zephyr borrows，to sweeten the morning air.'

Masrur marvelled at this with exceeding wonder and was dazed by her charms and amazement gat hold upon him.Then said Zayn al-Maw sif to him，'Begone from us and go about thy business；lest the neighbours hear of us and even us with the lewd.'He replied，'By Allah，O my lady，suffer my sight to enjoy the view of thy beauty and loveliness.'With this she was wroth with him and leaving him，walked in the garden，and he looked at her shift-sleeve and saw upon it embroidered these lines；'The weaver-wight wrote with gold-ore bright * And her wrists on brocade rained a brighter light：

Her palms are adorned with a silvern sheen；* And favour her fingers the ivory's white：

For their tips are rounded like priceless pearl；* And her charms would enlighten the nightiest night.'

And，as she paced the garth，Masrur gazed at her slippers and saw written upon them these pleasant lines；'The slippers that carry these fair young feet * Cause her form to bend in its gracious bloom：

When she paces and waves in the breeze she owns，* She shines fullest moon in the murkiest gloom.'

She was followed by her women leaving Hubub with Masrur by the curtain，upon whose edge were embroidered these couplets；'Behind the veil a damsel sits with gracious beauty dight，*

Praise to the Lord who decked her with these inner gifts of sprite！

Guards her the garden and the bird fain bears her company；*

Gladden her wine-draughts and the bowl but makes her brighter-bright.

Apple and Cassia-blossom show their envy of her cheeks；* And borrows Pearl resplendency from her resplendent light；

As though the sperm that gendered her were drop of marguerite[317] * Happy who kisses her and spends in her embrace the night.'

So Masrur entered into a long discourse with Hubub and presently said to her，'O Hubub，hath thy mistress a husband or not？'She replied，'My lady hath a husband；but he is actually abroad on a journey with merchandise of his.'Now whenas he heard that her husband was abroad on a journey，his heart lusted after her and he said，'O Hubub，glorified be He who created this damsel and fashioned her！ How sweet is her beauty and her loveliness and her symmetry and perfect grace！ Verily，into my heart is fallen sore travail for her.O Hubub，so do that I come to enjoy her，and thou shalt have of me what thou wilt of wealth and what not else.'Replied Hubub，'O Nazarene，if she heard thee speak thus；she would slay thee，or else she would kill herself，for she is the daughter of a Zealot[318] of the Jews nor is there her like amongst them： she hath no need of money and she keepeth herself ever cloistered，discovering not her case to any.'Quoth Masrur，'O Hubub，an thou wilt but bring me to enjoy her，I will be to thee slave and foot page and will serve thee all my life and give thee whatsoever thou seekest of me.'But quoth she，'O Masrur，in very sooth this woman hath no lust for money nor yet for men，because my lady Zayn al-Mawasif is of the cloistered；going not forth her house-door in fear lest folk see her；and but that she bore with thee by reason of thy strangerhood，she had not permitted thee to pass her threshold；no，not though thou wert her brother.'He replied，'O Hubub，be thou our go-between and thou shalt have of me an hundred gold dinars and a dress worth as much more，for that the love of her hath gotten hold of my heart.'Hearing this she said，'O man，let me go about with her in talk and I will return thee and answer and acquaint thee with what she saith.Indeed，she loveth those who berhyme her and she affecteth those who set forth her charms and beauty and loveliness in verse，and we may not prevail over her save by wiles and soft speech and beguilement.'Thereupon Hubub rose and going up to her mistress，accosted her with privy talk of this and that and presently said to her，'O my lady，look at yonder young man，the Nazarene；how sweet is his speech and how shapely his shape！'When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this，she turned to her and said，'An thou like his comeliness love him thyself.Art thou not ashamed to address the like of me with these words？ Go，bid him begone about his business；or I will make it the worse for him.'So Hubub returned to Masrur，but acquainted him not with that which her mistress had said.Then the lady bade her hie to the door and look if she saw any of the folk，lest foul befal them.So she went and returning，said，'O my lady，without are folk in plenty and we cannot let him go forth this night.'Quoth Zayn al-Mawasif，'I am in dole because of a dream I have seen and am fearful therefrom.'And Masrur said，'What sawest thou？ Allah never trouble thy heart！'She replied，'I was asleep in the middle of the night，when suddenly an eagle swooped down upon me from the highest of the clouds and would have carried me off from behind the curtain，wherefore I was affrighted at him.