第98章 ALAEDDIN ABOU ESH SHAMAT.(8)

Me he rejects and others joy his favours in my stead. This is indeed the grace of God He gives to whom He will.

As soon as he had finished his recitation，he sang the following verse in reply：

My salutation to the shape that through the wede doth show And to the roses in the cheeks full-flowering meads that blow！

When she heard this，her inclination for him redoubled and she rose and lifted the curtain；and Alaeddin，seeing her，repeated these verses：

She shineth forth，a moon，and bends，a willow-wand，And breathes out ambergris and gazes，a gazelle.

Meseems as if grief loved my heart and when from her Estrangement I abide，possession to it fell.

Thereupon she came forward，swinging her hips and swaying gracefully from side to side with a shape the handiwork of Him whose bounties are hidden，and each of them stole a glance at the other，that cost them a thousand regrets. Then，for that the arrows of her glances overcame his heart，he repeated the following verses：

The moon of the heavens she spied and called to my thought The nights of our loves in the meadows under her shine.

Yea，each of us saw a moon，but，sooth to say，It was her eyes[98] that I saw and she saw mine.[99]

Then she drew near him，and when there remained but two paces between them，he repeated these verses：

She took up three locks of her hair and spread them out one night And straight three nights discovered at once unto my sight.

Then did she turn her visage up to the moon of the sky And showed me two moons at one season，both burning clear and bright.

Then said he to her，Keep off from me，lest thou infect me.'

Whereupon she uncovered her wrist to him，and he saw that it was cleft [like a peach] and its whiteness was as the whiteness of silver. Then said she，Hold off from me，thou，for thou art stricken with leprosy，and belike thou wilt infect me.' Who told thee I was a leper？asked he，and she said，The old woman.'

Quoth he，It was she told me that thou wast afflicted with elephantiasis.' So saying，he bared his arms and showed her that his skin was like virgin silver，whereupon she pressed him to her bosom and they clipped one another. Then she took him and lying down on her back，did off her trousers，whereupon that which his father had left him rose up [in rebellion] against him and he said，To it，O elder of yards，O father of nerves！' And putting his hands to her flanks，set the nerve of sweetness to the mouth of the cleft and thrust on to the wicket-gate. His passage was by the gate of victories [or openings] and after this he entered the Monday market and those of Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and finding the carpet after the measure of the estrade，he plied [or turned] the box within its sheath [or cover] till he came to [the end of] it.[100] When it was morning，he exclaimed，Alas for delight that is not fulfilled！The raven[101] takes it and flies away！' What means this saying？asked she，and he answered，O my lady，I have but this hour to abide with thee.'

Quoth she，Who saith so？and he，Thy father made me give him a bond to pay ten thousand dinars to thy dowry；and except I pay it this very day，they will lay me in prison therefor in the Cadis house；and now my hand lacketh one para of the sum.' O my lord，said she，is the marriage bond in thy hand or in theirs？In mine，'answered he，but I have nothing.' Quoth she，The matter is easy；fear nothing. Take these hundred dinars；if I had more，I would give thee what thou lackest；but my father，for his love of my cousin，hath transported all his good，even to my trinkets，from my lodging to his. But when they send thee a serjeant of the court and the Cadi and my father bid thee divorce，answer thou，'By what code is it right that I should marry at nightfall and divorce in the morning？'Then kiss the Cadis hand and give him a present，and in like manner kiss the Assessors hands and give each of them half a score dinars. So they will all speak with thee and if they say to thee，'Why dost thou not divorce her and take the thousand dinars and the mule and suit of clothes，according to contract？'do thou answer，'Every hair of her head is worth a thousand dinars to me and I will never put her away，neither will I take a suit of clothes nor aught else.' If the Cadi say to thee，'Then pay down the dowry，'do thou reply，'I am straitened at this present；' whereupon he and the Assessors will deal friendly with thee and allow thee time to pay.' Whilst they were talking，the Cadis officer knocked at the door；so Alaeddin went down and the man said to him，The Cadi cites thee to answer thy father-in-laws summons.' Alaeddin gave him five dinars and said to him，O serjeant，by what code am I bound to marry at night and divorce next morning？By none of ours，'answered the serjeant；and if thou be ignorant of the law，I will act as thine advocate.' Then they went to the court and the Cadi said to Alaeddin，Why dost thou not divorce the woman and take what falls to thee by the contract？With this he went up to the Cadi and kissing his hand，put in it fifty dinars and said，O our lord the Cadi，by what code is it right that I should marry at night and divorce in the morning in my own despite？Divorce on compulsion，'replied the Cadi，is sanctioned by no school of the Muslims.' Then said the ladys father，If thou wilt not divorce，pay me the ten thousand dinars，her dowry.' Quoth Alaeddin，Give me three days time.' But the Cadi said，Three days is not enough；he shall give thee ten.' So they agreed to this and bound him to pay the dowry or divorce after ten days. Then he left them and taking meat and rice and butter and what else of food he needed，returned to his wife and told her what had passed；

whereupon she said，Between night and day，wonders may happen：

and God bless him who saith：

Be mild what time thourt taen with anger and despite And patient，if there fall misfortune on thy head.

Indeed，the nights are quick and great with child by time And of all wondrous things are hourly brought to bed.