第69章

So he told her all that had passed and how his case stood，whereat she grieved and sighed and lamented and marvelled at his condition. Then said she，'My lady's case is still stranger than this；for when you went away and fared homewards，I turned back，my heart beating hard on your account and hardly crediting your escape. On entering I found her lying prostrate in the pavilion，speaking not nor answering any，whilst the Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not knowing what ailed her and finding none who could make known to him aught of her ailment. She ceased not from her swoon till midnight，when she recovered and the Prince of the Faithful said to her，'What harm hath happened to thee，O Shams alNahar，and what hath befallen thee this night？'Now when she heard the Caliph's words she kissed his feet and said，'Allah make me thy ransom，O Prince of True Believers！ Verily a sourness of stomach lighted a fire in my body，so that I lost my senses for excess of pain，and I know no more of my condition.'Asked the Caliph，'What hast thou eaten today？'；and she answered，'I broke my fast on something I had never tasted before.'Then she feigned to be recovered and calling for a something of wine，drank it，and begged the Sovereign to resume his diversion. So he sat down again on his couch in the pavilion and the sitting was resumed，but when she saw me，she asked me how you fared. I told her what I had done with you both and repeated to her the verses which Ali bin Bakkar had composed at partingtide，whereat she wept secretly，but presently held her peace. After awhile，the Commander of the Faithful ordered a damsel to sing，and she began reciting，'Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared；

Would Heaven I wot how fare ye who forsake：

'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood，

Since you are weeping for mine absence sake.'

But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a swoon，'And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fiftyseventh Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the slavegirl continued to Abu alHasan，'But when my lady heard this verse，she fell back on the sofa in a swoon，and I seized her hand and sprinkled rosewater on her face，till she revived，when I said to her，'O my lady，expose not thyself and all thy palace containeth. By the life of thy beloved，be thou patient！'

She replied，'Can aught befal me worse than death which indeed I seek，for by Allah，my ease is therein？'Whilst we were thus talking，another damsel sang these words of the poet，'Quoth they，'Maybe that Patience lend thee ease！'

Quoth I，'Since fared he where is Patience'place？

Covenant he made'twixt me and him，to cut The cords of Patience at our last embrace！'[197]

And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams alNahar swooned away once more，which when the Caliph saw，he came to her in haste and commanded the wine to be removed and each damsel to return to her chamber. He abode with her the rest of the night，and when dawned the day，he sent for chirurgeons and leaches and bade them medicine her，knowing not that her sickness arose from love and longing. I tarried with her till I deemed her in a way of recovery，and this is what kept me from thee. I have now left her with a number of her bodywomen，who were greatly concerned for her，when she bade me go to you two and bring her news of Ali bin Bakkar and return to her with the tidings.'When Abu alHasan heard her story，he marvelled and said，'By Allah，I have acquainted thee with his whole case；so now return to thy mistress；and salute her for me and diligently exhort her to have patience and say to her，'Keep thy secret！'；and tell her that I know all her case which is indeed hard and one which calleth for nice conduct.'She thanked him and taking leave of him，returned to her mistress. So far concerning her；but as regards Abu alHasan，he ceased not to abide in his shop till the end of the day，when he arose and shut it and locked it and betaking himself to Ali bin Bakkar's house knocked at the door. One of the servants came out and admitted him；and when Ali saw him，he smiled and congratulated himself on his coming，saying，'O Abu alHasan，thou hast desolated me by thine absence this day；for indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my time.'

Answered the other，'Leave this talk！ Were thy healing at the price of my hand，I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me；

and，could I ransom thee with my life，I had already laid it down for thee. Now this very day，Shams alNahar's handmaid hath been with me and told me that what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's sojourn with her mistress；and she acquainted me with everything which had betided her.'And he went on to repeat to him all that the girl had told him of Shams alNahar；at which Ali bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to him，'Allah upon thee，O my brother，help me in this affliction and teach me what course I shall take. Moreover，I beg thee of thy grace to abide with me this night，that I may have the solace of thy society.'Abu alHasan agreed to this request，replying that he would readily night there；so they talked together till eventide darkened，when Ali bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept copious tears，reciting these couplets，'Thine image in these eyne，alip thy name，My heart thy home；how couldst thou disappear？

How sore I grieve for life which comes to end，

Nor see I boon of union far or near.'

And these the words of another，'She split my casque of courage with eyeswords that sorely smite；She pierced my patience'ringmail with her shape like canespear light：

Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed

Camphor set round with ambergris，light dawning through the night.[198]

Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls

Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite：[199]

Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her breast，And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld such sight，Pens，fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink，

Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite：

O swordsmen armed with trusty steel！ I bid you all beware

When she on you bends deadly glance which fascinates the sprite：