第36章

and they brought her napkins[131] of gold-purfled silk，with which she dried herself.Then they brought her clothes and jewels and ornaments of the handiwork of the Jinn，and she donned them and rose and walked with graceful pace among the troops，she and her maidens.When Hasan saw her，his heart was ready to fly from his breast and he said，'Verily this girl is the likest of all folk to the bird I saw in the basin atop of the palace of my sisters the Princesses，and she lorded it over her lieges even as doth this one.'The old woman asked，'O Hasan，is this thy wife？'；and he answered，'No，by thy life，O my lady；this is not my wife，nor ever in my life have I set eyes on her；neither among all the girls I have seen in these islands is there the like of my wife nor her match for symmetry and grace and beauty and loveliness！'Then said Shawaki，'Describe her to me and acquaint me with all her attributes，that I may have her in my mind；for I know every girl in the Islands of Wak，being commander of the army of maids and governor over them；wherefore；an thou describe her to me，I shall know her and will contrive for thee to take her.'Quoth he，'My wife hath the fairest face and a form all grace；smooth is she of cheeks and high of breasts with eyes of liquid light，calves and thighs plump to sight；teeth snowy white，with dulcet speech dight；in speech soft and bland as she were a willow-wand；her gifts are a moral and lips are red as coral；her eyes wear natural Kohl-dye and her lower labia[132] in softness lie.On her right cheek is a mole and on her waist，under her navel，is a sign；her face shines as the rondure of the moon in sheen，her waist is slight，her hips a heavy weight，and the water of her mouth the sick doth heal，as it were Kausar or Salsabil.'[133] Said the old woman，'Give me an increased account of her，Allah increase thee of passion for her！'Quoth he，'My wife hath a face the fairest fair and oval cheeks the rarest rare；neck long and spare and eyes that Kohl wear；her side face shows the Anemones of Nu'uman，her mouth is like a seal of cornelian and flashing teeth that lure and stand one in stead of cup and ewer.She is cast in the mould of pleasantness and between her thighs is the throne of the Caliphate，there is no such sanctuary among the Holy Places；as saith in its praise the poet；'The name of what drave me distraught * Hath letters renowned among men：

A four into five multiplied * And a multiplied six into ten.[134]'

Then Hasan wept and chanted the following Maww l，[135]

'O heart，an lover false thee，shun the parting bane * Nor to forgetfulness thy thoughts constrain：

Be patient；thou shalt bury all thy foes；* Allah ne'er falseth man of patience fain.'

And this also；'An wouldst be life，long safe，vaunt not delight；* Never despair，nor wone o'erjoyed in sprite！

Forbear，rejoice not，mourn not o'er thy plight * And in ill day'Have not we oped？'--recite.'[136]

Thereupon the old woman bowed her head groundwards awhile，then；raising it，said，'Laud be to the Lord，the Mighty of Award！

Indeed I am afflicted with thee，O Hasan！ Would Heaven I had never known thee！ This woman，whom thou describest to me as thy wife，I know by deion and I know her to be none other than the eldest daughter of the Supreme King，she who ruleth over all the Islands of Wak.So open both eyes and consider thy case；and if thou be asleep，awake；for，if this woman be indeed thy wife；it is impossible for thee ever to obtain her，and though thou come to her，yet couldst thou not avail to her possession，since between thee and her the distance is as that between earth and Heaven.Wherefore，O my son，return presently and cast not thyself into destruction nor cast me with thee；for meseemeth thou hast no lot in her；so return whence thou camest lest our lives be lost.' And she feared for herself and for him.When Hasan heard her words，he wept till he fainted and she left not sprinkling water on his face，till he came to himself，when he continued to weep，so that he drenched his dress with tears，for the much cark and care and chagrin which betided him by reason of her words.And indeed he despaired of life and said to the old woman，'O my lady，and how shall I go back，after having come hither？ Verily，I thought not thou wouldst forsake me nor fail of the winning of my wish，especially as thou art the Commander-in-chief of the army of the girls.'Answered Shawahl；'O my son，I doubted not but thy wife was a maid of the maids；and had I known she was the King's daughter，I had not suffered thee to come hither nor had I shown the troops to thee，for all the love I bear thee.But now，O my son，thou hast seen all the girls naked；so tell me which of them pleaseth thee and I will give her to thee，in lieu of thy wife，and do thou put it that thy wife and children are dead and take her and return to thine own country in safety，ere thou fall into the King's hand and I

have no means of delivering thee.So，Allah upon thee，O my son；hearken unto me.Choose thyself one of these damsels，in the stead of yonder woman，and return presently to thy country in safety and cause me not quaff the cup of thine anguish！ For，by Allah，thou hast cast thyself into affliction sore and peril galore，wherefrom none may avail to deliver thee evermore！'But Hasan hung down his head and wept with long weeping and recited these couplets；''Blame not！' said I to all who blam？d me；*'Mine eye-lids naught but tears were made to dree：'

The tears that brim these orbs have overflowed * My checks，for lovers and love's cruelty.

Leave me to love though waste this form of me！ * For I of Love adore the insanity：

And，Oh my dearling，passion grows on me * For you--and you，why grudge me clemency？

You wronged me after swearing troth and plight，* Falsed my companionship and turned to flee：

And cup of humbling for your rigours sore * Ye made me drain what day departed ye：

Then melt，O heart，with longing for their sight * And，O mine eyes，with crowns of tears be dight.'

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.