第97章 (97)
At last when Danis's patience was at an end and his passion was sore on him，he said in himself，'Verily，the sooth-sayer saith；'Naught scratcheth my skin but my own nail and naught like my own feet for mine errand may avail.''So up he rose and made ready rich meats，and it was the ninth day of her sojourn in the convent where she had purposed only to rest.Then he carried them in to her and set them before her，saying，'Bismillah，favour us by tasting the best of the food at our command.'So she put forth her hand，saying，'For the name of Allah the Compassionating，the Compassionate！'and ate，she and her handmaidens.When she had made an end of eating，he said to her，'O my lady，I wish to recite to thee some verses.'Quoth she，'Say on，'and he recited these couplets；'Thou hast won my heart by cheek and eye of thee，* I'll praise for love in prose and poesy.
Wilt fly a lover，love-sick，love-distraught * Who strives in dreams some cure of love to see？
Leave me not fallen，passion-fooled，since I * For pine have left uncared the Monast'ry：
O Fairest，'tis thy right to shed my blood，* So rue my case and hear the cry of me！'
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses，she answered him with these two couplets；'O who suest Union，ne'er hope such delight * Nor solicit my favours，O hapless wight！
Cease to hanker for what thou canst never have： * Next door are the greedy to sore despight.'
Hearing this he returned to his place，pondering in himself and knowing not how he should do in her affair，and passed the night in the sorriest plight.But，as soon as the darkness was darkest Zayn al-Mawasif arose and said to her handmaids，'Come，let us away，for we cannot avail against forty men，monks，each of whom requireth me for himself.'Quoth they，'Right willingly！'So they mounted their beasts and issued forth the convent gate，--
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-second Night； She resumed，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Zayn al-Mawasif and her handmaids issued forth the convent gate and；under favour of the night，rode on till they overtook a caravan；with which they mingled and found it came from the city of'Adan wherein the lady had dwelt.Presently，Zayn al-Mawasif heard the people of the caravan discoursing of her own case and telling how the Kazis and Assessors were dead of love for her and how the townsfolk had appointed in their stead others who released her husband from prison.Whereupon she turned to her maids and asked them，'Heard ye that？'；and Hubub answered，'If the monks were ravished with love of thee，whose belief it is that shunning women is worship，how should it be with the Kazis，who hold that there is no monkery in Al-Islam？ But let us make our way to our own country，whilst our affair is yet hidden.'So they drave on with all diligence.Such was their case；but as regards the monks，on the morrow，as soon as it was day they repaired to Zayn al-Mawasif's lodging，to salute her，but found the place empty；and their hearts sickened within them.So the first monk rent his raiment and improvised these couplets；'Ho ye，my friends，draw near，for I forthright * From you depart，since parting is my lot：
My vitals suffer pangs o' fiery love；* Flames of desire in heart burn high and hot；For sake of fairest girl who sought our land * Whose charms th'horizon's full moon evens not.
She fared and left me victimed by her love * And slain by shaft those lids death-dealing shot.'
Then another monk recited the following couplets；'O ye who with my vitals fled，have ruth * On this unhappy： haste ye homeward-bound：
They fared，and fared fair Peace on farthest track * Yet lingers in mine ear that sweetest sound：
Fared far，and far their fane；would Heaven I saw Their shade in vision float my couch around：
And when they went wi' them they bore my heart * And in my tear-floods all of me left drowned.'
A third monk followed with these extempore lines；'Throne you on highmost stead，heart，ears and sight * Your wone's my heart；mine all's your dwelling-site：
Sweeter than honey is your name a-lip，* Running，as'neath my ribs runs vital sprite：
For Love hath made me as a tooth-pick[368] lean * And drowned in tears of sorrow and despight：
Let me but see you in my sleep，belike * Shall clear my cheeks of tears that lovely sight.'
Then a fourth recited the following couplets；'Dumb is my tongue and scant my speech for thee * And Love the direst torture gars me dree：
O thou full Moon，whose place is highest Heaven，* For thee but double pine and pain in me.'
And a fifth these，[370]'I love a moon of comely shapely form * Whose slender waist hath title to complain：
Whose lip-dews rival must and long-kept wine；* Whose heavy haunches haunt the minds of men：
My heart each morning burns with pain and pine * And the night-talkers note I'm passion-slain；
While down my cheeks carnelian-like the tears * Of rosy red shower down like railing rain.'
And a sixth the following；'O thou who shunnest him thy love misled！ * O Branch of B n，O star of highmost stead！
To thee of pine and passion I complain，* O thou who fired me with cheeks rosyred.
Did e'er such lover lose his soul for thee，* Or from prostration and from prayers fled？'
And a seventh these；'He seized my heart and freed my tears to flow * Brought strength to Love and bade my Patience go.
His charms are sweet as bitter his disdain；* And shafts of love his suitors overthrow.
Stint blame，O blamer，and for past repent * None will believe thee who dost Love unknow！'
And on like wise all the rest of the monks shed tears and repeated verses.As for Danis，the Prior，weeping and wailing redoubled on him，for that he found no way to her enjoyment，and he chanted the following couplets[371]；'My patience failed me when my lover went * And fled that day mine aim and best intent.
O Guide o' litters lead their camels fair，* Haply some day they'll deign with me to tent！
On parting-day Sleep parted from my lids * And grew my grieving and my joy was shent.