第81章

Then I awoke from sleep and bade my women bring me meat and drink，so haply，when I had drunken，the dolour of the dream would cease from me.'Hearing this，Masrur smiled and told her his dream from first to last and how he had caught the dove，whereat she marvelled with exceeding marvel.Then he went on to talk with her at great length and said，'I am now certified of the truth of my dream，for thou art the dove and I the eagle，and there is no hope but that this must be，for，the moment I set eyes on thee；thou tookest possession of my vitals and settest my heart a-fire for love of thee！'Thereupon Zayn al-Mawasif became wroth with exceeding wrath and said to him，'I take refuge with Allah from this！ Allah upon thee，begone about thy business ere the neighbours espy thee and there betide us sore reproach，'adding；'Harkye，man！ Let not thy soul covet that it shall not obtain.

Thou weariest thyself in vain；for I am a merchant's wife and a merchant's daughter and thou art a druggist；and when sawest thou a druggist and a merchant's daughter conjoined by such sentiment？'He replied，'O my lady，never lacked love-liesse between folk[319]；so cut thou not off from me hope of this and whatsoever thou seekest of me of money and raiment and ornaments and what not else，I will give thee.'Then he abode with her in discourse and mutual blaming whilst she still redoubled in anger，till it was black night，when he said to her；'O my lady，take this gold piece and fetch me a little wine，for I am athirst and heavy hearted.'So she said to the slave-girl Hubub，'Fetch him wine and take naught from him，for we have no need of his dinar.'So she went whilst Masrur held his peace and bespake not the lady，who suddenly improvised these lines；'Leave this thy design and depart，O man！ * Nor tread paths where lewdness and crime trepan！

Love is a net shall enmesh thy sprite，* Make thee rise a-morning sad，weary and wan：

For our spy thou shalt eke be the cause of talk；* And for thee shall blame me my tribe and clan：

Yet scant I marvel thou lovest a Fair：-- * Gazelles hunting lions we aye shall scan！'

And he answered her with these；'Joy of boughs，bright branch of Myrobalan！ * Have ruth on the heart all thy charms unman：

Death-cup to the dregs thou garrest me drain * And don weed of Love with its bane and ban：

How can soothe I a heart which for stress of pine * Burns with living coals which my longings fan？'

Hearing these lines she exclaimed，'Away from me！ Quoth the saw'Whoso looseth his sight wearieth his sprite.'By Allah，I am tired of discourse with thee and chiding，and indeed thy soul coveteth that shall never become thine；nay，though thou gave me my weight in gold，thou shouldst not get thy wicked will of me；

for，I know naught of the things of the world，save pleasant life，by the boon of Allah Almighty！'He answered，'O my lady Zayn al-Mawasif，ask of me what thou wilt of the goods of the world.'Quoth she，'What shall I ask of thee？ For sure thou wilt fare forth and prate of me in the highway and I shall become a laughing-stock among the folk and they will make a byword of me in verse，me who am the daughter of the chief of the merchants and whose father is known of the notables of the tribe.I have no need of money or raiment and such love will not be hidden from the people and I shall be brought to shame，I and my kith and kin.'With this Masrur was confounded and could make her no answer；but presently she said，'Indeed，the master-thief，if he steal，stealeth not but what is worth his neck，and every woman who doth lewdness with other than her husband is styled a thief；

so，if it must be thus and no help[320]，thou shalt give me whatsoever my heart desireth of money and raiment and ornaments and what not.'Quoth he，'An thou sought of me the world and all its regions contain from its East to its West，'twere but a little thing，compared with thy favour；'and quoth she，'I will have of thee three suits，each worth a thousand Egyptian dinars；and adorned with gold and fairly purfled with pearls and jewels and jacinths，the best of their kind.Furthermore I require that thou swear to me thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any and that thou wilt company with none but me；and I in turn will swear to thee a true oath that I will never false thee in love.'

So he sware to her the oath she required and she sware to him；and they agreed upon this；after which she said to her nurse Hubub，'To-morrow go thou with Masrur to his lodging and seek somewhat of musk and ambergris and Nadd and rose-water and see what he hath.If he be a man of condition，we will take him into favour；but an he be otherwise we will leave him.'Then said she to him，'O Masrur，I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and aloes-wood and Nadd；so do thou send it me by Hubub；'and he answered，'With love and gladness；my shop is at thy disposal！'

Then the wine went round between them and their s？ance was sweet：

but Masrur's heart was troubled for the passion and pining which possessed him；and when Zayn alMawasif saw him in this plight；she said to her slave-girl Sukub，'Arouse Masrur from his stupor；

mayhap he will recover.'Answered Sukub，'Hearkening and obedience，'and sang these couplets；'Bring gold and gear an a lover thou，* And hymn thy love so success shalt row；

Joy the smiling fawn with the black-edged eyne * And the bending lines of the Cassiabough：

On her look，and a marvel therein shalt sight，* And pour out thy life ere thy life-term show：

Love's affect be this，an thou weet the same；* But，an gold deceive thee，leave gold and go！'

Hereupon Masrur understood her and said，'I hear and apprehend.

Never was grief but after came relief，and after affliction dealing He will order the healing.'Then Zayn al-Mawasif recited these couplets；'From Love-stupor awake，O Masrur，'twere best；* For this day I dread my love rend thy breast；

And to-morrow I fear me folks'marvel-tale * Shall make us a byword from East to West：

Leave love of my like or thou'lt gain thee blame；* Why turn thee us-wards？ Such love's unblest！