第61章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(23)

When she had finished，she sat down beside the princess Heyat en Nufous and kissed her on the mouth.Then，rising abruptly，she made the ablution and betook herself to her devotions，nor did she leave praying till Heyat en Nufous was asleep，when she slipt into bed and lay with her back to her till morning；then rose and went out.Presently，the old king and queen came in to their daughter and asked her how she did，whereupon she told them what had passed and repeated to them the verses she had heard.

Meanwhile，Budour seated herself upon the throne and all the Amirs and captains and officers of state came in to her and wished her joy of the kingship，kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings upon her.She smiled on them and clad them in robes of honour，augmenting the fiefs of the Amirs and giving largesse to the troops；wherefore all the people loved her and offered up prayers for the continuance of her reign，doubting not but that she was a man.She sat all day in the hall of audience，ordering and forbidding and dispensing justice，releasing those who were in prison and remitting the customs dues，till nightfall，when she withdrew to the apartment prepared for her.Here she found Heyat en Nufous seated；so she sat down by her and clapping her on the back，caressed her and kissed her between the eyes，repeating the following verses：

The secret that I cherished my tears have public made；The wasting of my body my passion hath bewrayed.

I hid my love and longing；but on the parting-day My plight，alas！revealed it to spies；twas open laid.

O ye who have departed the camp，yeve left behind My body worn with languor and spirit all decayed.

Within my hearts recesses ye have your dwelling-place；My tears are ever running and lids with blood berayed.

For ever will I ransom the absent with my soul；Indeed，for them my yearnings are patent and displayed.

I have an eye，whose pupil，for love of them，rejects Sleep and whose tears flow ever，unceasing and unstayed.

My foes would have me patient for him；but God forbid That ever of my hearing should heed to them be paid！

I baulked their expectation.Of Kemerezzeman Sometime I did accomplish the joys for which I prayed.

He doth，as none before him，perfections all unite；No king of bygone ages was in the like arrayed.

His clemency and bounty Ben Za？dehs[45] largesse And Muawiyehs[46] mildness have cast into the shade.

But that it would be tedious and verse sufficeth not To picture forth his beauties，Id leave no rhyme unmade.

Then she wiped away her tears and making the ablution，stood up to pray；nor did she give over praying，till drowsiness overcame Heyat en Nufous and she slept，whereupon Budour came and lay beside her till the morning.At daybreak，she arose and prayed the morning-prayer；then，going forth，seated herself on the throne and passed the day in ordering and forbidding and administering justice.Meanwhile，King Armanous went in to his daughter and asked her how she did；so she told him all that had passed and repeated to him the verses that Budour had recited，adding，O my father，never saw I one more abounding in sense and modesty than my husband，save that he doth nothing but weep and sigh.'O my daughter，'answered her father，have patience with him yet this third night，and if he go not in to thee and do away thy maidenhead，we will take order with him and oust him from the throne and banish him the country.'When the night came，the princess Budour rose from the throne and betaking herself to the bride-chamber，found the candles lighted and the princess Heyat en Nufous sitting awaiting her；whereupon she bethought her of her husband and recalling the early severance of their loves，wept and sighed and groaned groan upon groan，repeating the following verses：

I swear the tidings of my woes fills all the country-side，Like the sun shining on the hills of Nejed far and wide.

His gesture speaks，but hard to tell the meaning of it is，And thus my yearning without end is ever magnified.

I hate fair patience since the hour I fell in love with thee.

Hast seen a lover hating love at any time or tide？

One，in whose glances sickness lies，hath smitten me to death，For looks are deadliest of the things，wherein doth sickness bide.

He shook his clustered ringlets down and laid his chin-band by，And beauty thus in him，at once both black and white，I spied.

Sickness and cure are in his hands；for，to the sick of love，By him alone who caused their dole can healing be applied.

The softness of his waist hath made his girdle mad for love And of his hips，for jealousy，to rise he is denied.

His forehead，covered with his curls，is as a mirky night；

Unveiled，tis as a shining moon that thrusts the dark aside.