第89章

Quoth she，'It hath never ceased to be locked thus during thine absence；nor hath it been opened night nor day；'and cried he；'Thou hast done well；this pleaseth me.'Then he went in to Masrur，laughing and dissembling his chagrin，and said to him，'O Masrur，let us put off the conclusion of our pact of brotherhood this day and defer it to another.'Replied Masrur，'As thou wilt，'and hied him home，leaving the Jew pondering his case and knowing not what to do；for his heart was sore troubled and he said in himself，'Even the mocking-bird disowneth me and the slave-girls shut the door in my face and favour another.'And of his exceeding chagrin，he fell to reciting these couplets；'Masrur joys life made fair by all delight of days，* Fulfilled of boons，while mine the sorest grief displays.

The Days have falsed me in the breast of her I love * And in my heart are fires which all-consuming blaze：

Yea，Time was clear for thee，but now'tis past and gone * While yet her lovely charms thy wit and senses daze：

Espied these eyes of mine her gifts of loveliness： * Oh，hard my case and sore my woe on spirit weighs！

I saw the maiden of the tribe deal rich old wine * Of lips like Salsabil to friend my love betrays：

E'en so，O mocking-bird，thou dost betray my breast * And to a rival teachest Love and lover-ways：

Strange things indeed and wondrous saw these eyne of me * Which were they sleepdrowned still from Sleep's abyss would raise：

I see my best belov？d hath forsworn my love * And eke like my mocking-bird fro'me a-startled strays.

By truth of Allah，Lord of Worlds who，whatso wills * His Fate；for creatures works and none His hest gainsays；Forsure I'll deal to that ungodly wight his due * Who but to sate his wicked will her heart withdrew！'

When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this，her side-muscles trembled and quoth she to her handmaid，'Heardest thou those lines？'

whereupon quoth the girl，'I never heard him in my born days recite the like of these verses；but let him say what he will.'

Then having assured himself of the truth of his suspicions，the Jew began to sell all his property，saying to himself，'Unless I

part them by removing her from her mother land the twain will not turn back from this that they are engaged in，no，never！'So；when he had converted all his possessions into coin，he forged a letter and read it to Zayn al-Mawasif，declaring that it had come from his kinsmen，who invited him to visit them，him and his wife.She asked，'How long shall we tarry with them？'and he answered，'Twelve days.'Accordingly she consented to this and said，'Shall I take any of my maids with me？'；whereto he replied，'Take Hubub and Sukub and leave Khutub here.'Then he made ready a handsome camel-litter[349] for his spouse and her women and prepared to set out with them；whilst she sent to her leman，telling him what had betided her and saying，'O Masrur，an the trysting-time[350] that is between us pass and I come not back，know that he hath cheated and cozened us and planned a plot to separate us each from other，so forget thou not the plighted faith betwixt us，for I fear that he hath found out our love and I dread his craft and perfidy.'Then，whilst her man was busy about his march she fell a-weeping and lamenting and no peace was left her，night or day.Her husband saw this，but took no note thereof；and when she saw there was scant help for it，she gathered together her clothes and gear and deposited them with her sister，telling her what had befallen her.Then she farewelled her and going out from her，drowned in tears，returned to her own house，where she found her husband had brought the camels and was busy loading them，having set apart the handsomest dromedary for her riding，and when she saw this and knew that needs must she be separated from Masrur，she waxt clean distraught.Presently it chanced that the Jew went out on some business of his；so she fared forth to the first or outer door and wrote thereon these couplets，--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night； She resumed，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Zayn al-Mawasif saw her spouse summon the camels and knew that the march needs must be，she waxt clean distraught.Presently it chanced that the Jew went out on some business so she fared forth to the first door and wrote thereon these couplets；'Bear our salams，O Dove，from this our stead * From lover to beloved far sever？d！

Bid him fro'me ne'er cease to yearn and mourn * O'er happy days and hours for ever fled：

Eke I in grief shall ever mourn and yearn，* Dwelling on days of love and lustihead；

Long was our joyance，seeming aye to last，* When night and morning to reunion led；

Till croaked the Raven[351] of the Wold one day * His cursed croak and did our union dead.

We sped and left the homestead dark and void * Its gates unpeopled and its dwellers sped.'

Then she went to the second door and wrote thereon these couplets；'O who passest this doorway，by Allah，see * The charms of my fere in the glooms and make plea For me，saying，'I think of the Past and weep * Yet boot me no tears flowing full and free.'

Say，'An fail thee patience for what befel * Scatter earth and dust on the head of thee！

And o'er travel lands East and West，and deem * God sufficeth thy case，so bear patiently！''

Then she went to the third door and wept sore and thereon wrote these couplets；'Fare softly，Masrār！ an her sanctuary * Thou seek，and read what a-door writ she.

Ne'er forget Love-plight，if true man；how oft * Hast savoured Nights'bitter and sweetest gree！

O Masrār！ forget not her neighbourhood * For wi'thee must her gladness and joyance flee！

But beweep those dearest united days * When thou camest veil？d in secresy；

Wend for sake of us over farthest wone；* Span the wold for us；for us dive in sea；

Allah bless the past days！ Ah，how glad they were * When in Gardens of Fancy the flowers pluckt we！

The nights of Union from us are fled * And parting-glooms dim their radiancy；