第47章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(9)

Alas！Alas！'continued she.'Thou art proud in thy beauty and grace and lovely looks！But if thou art handsome，so am I；what then is this thou dost？Have they lessoned thee to flout me or has the wretched old man，my father，made thee swear not to speak to me to-night？But he opened not his mouth neither awoke，whereat her passion redoubled and God inflamed her heart with love of him.She stole one glance at him that cost her a thousand sighs： her heart fluttered and her entrails yearned and she exclaimed，Speak to me，O my lord！O my friend，my beloved，answer me and tell me thy name，for indeed thou hast ravished my wit！'Still he abode drowned in sleep and answered her not a word，and she sighed and said，Alas！Alas！why art thou so self-satisfied？Then she shook him and turning his hand over，saw her ring on his little finger，whereat she cried out and said，with a sigh of passion，Alack！Alack！By Allah，thou art my beloved and lovest me！Yet meseems thou turnest away from me out of coquetry，for all thou camest to me whilst I was asleep and knew not what thou didst，and tookest my ring.But I will not pull it off thy finger.'So saying，she opened the bosom of his shirt and kissed him and put her hand to him，seeking somewhat that she might take as a token，but found nothing.Then she put her hand into his breast，and for the smoothness of his body，it slipped down to his navel and thence to his yard，whereupon her heart ached and her entrails quivered and desire was sore upon her，for that womens lust is fiercer than that of men，and she was confounded.Then she took his ring from his finger and put it on her own and kissed his mouth and hands，nor did she leave any part of him unkissed；after which she took him to her breast and laying one of her hands under his neck and the other under his armpit，fell asleep by his side.Then said Maimouneh to Dehnesh，O accursed one，sawst thou how prudishly and coquettishly my beloved bore himself and what ardour of passion thy mistress showed to him？There can be no doubt that my beloved is handsomer than thine；nevertheless I pardon thee.'

Then she wrote him a patent of manumission and said to Keshkesh，Help Dehnesh to take up his mistress and carry her back to her own place，for the night wanes apace and there is but little left of it.'I hear and obey，'answered Keshkesh.So the two Afrits lifted up the Princess Budour and flying away with her，carried her back to her own place and laid her on her bed，whilst Maimouneh abode alone with Kemerezzeman，gazing upon him as he slept，till the night was all but spent，when she went her way.

At break of day，the prince awoke from sleep and turned right and left，but found not the young lady by him and said in himself，What is this？It would seem as if my father would fain incline me to marriage with the young lady，that was with me，and have now taken her away by stealth，to the intent that my desire for marriage may redouble.'Then he called out to the eunuch who slept at the door，saying，Out on thee，O accursed one，arise forthright！'So the eunuch arose，dazed with sleep，and brought him basin and ewer，whereupon Kemerezzeman entered the draught-house and did his need；then，coming out，made his ablutions and prayed the morning-prayer，after which he sat telling his beads.Then he looked up，and seeing the eunuch standing waiting upon him，said to him，Out on thee，O Sewab！

Who was it came hither and took away the young lady from beside me，whilst I slept？O my lord，what young lady？asked the eunuch.'She that lay with me last night，'replied Kemerezzeman.

The eunuch was troubled at his words and said to him，By Allah，there has been with thee neither young lady nor other！How should she have come in to thee，when the door was locked and I asleep before it？By Allah，O my lord，neither man nor woman has come in to thee！'Thou liest，O pestilent slave！'exclaimed the prince.'Dost thou also presume to hoodwink me and wilt thou not tell me what is come of the young lady who lay with me last night and who took her away？The eunuch was affrighted at him and answered，By Allah，O my lord，I have seen neither girl nor boy！'His words only angered Kemerezzeman and he said to him，O accursed one，my father hath taught thee deceit！Come hither.'