第54章

The young lady dismounted and entered the house，bidding me sit down on the bench at the gate，till the money-changer should arrive.So I sat awhile，when behold，a damsel came out to me and said，'O my lord，enter the vestibule； for it is a dishonour that thou shouldst sit at the gate.' Thereupon I arose and entered the vestibule and sat down on the settle there，and，as I sat，lo！

another damsel came out and said to me，'O my lord my mistress biddeth thee enter and sit down at the door of the saloon，to receive thy money.' I entered and sat down，nor had I sat a moment when behold，a curtain of silk which concealed a throne of gold was drawn aside，and I saw seated thereon the lady who had made the purchase，and round her neck she wore the necklace which looked pale and wan by the side of a face as it were the rounded moon； At her sight，my wit was troubled and my mind confounded，by reason of her exceeding beauty and loveliness，but when she saw me she rose from her throne and coming close up to me，said，'O light of mine eyes，is every handsome one like thee pitiless to his mistress？' I answered，'O my lady，beauty，all of it，is in thee and is but one of thy hidden charms.' And she rejoined，'O Jeweller，know that I love thee and can hardly credit that I have brought thee hither.' Then she bent towards me and I kissed her and she kissed me and，as she caressed me，drew me towards her and to her breast she pressed me.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninety-first Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the Jeweller continued： 'Then she bent towards me and kissed and caressed me； and，as she caressed me，drew me towards her and to her breast she pressed me.Now she knew by my condition that I had a mind to enjoy her； so she said to me，'O my lord，wouldst thou foregather with me unlawfully？ By Allah，may he not live who would do the like of this sin and who takes pleasure in talk unclean！ I am a maid，a virgin whom no man hath approached，nor am I unknown in the city.Knowest thou who I am？' Quoth I，'No，by Allah，O my lady！'； and quoth she，'I am the Lady Dunya，daughter of Yahya bin Khalid the Barmecide and sister of Ja'afar，Wazir to the Caliph.' Now as I heard this，I drew back from her，saying，'O my lady，it is no fault of mine if I have been over-bold with thee； it was thou didst encourage me to aspire to thy love，by giving me access to thee.' She answered，'No harm shall befal-thee，and needs must thou attain thy desire in the only way pleasing to Allah.I am my own mistress and the Kazi shall act as my guardian in consenting to the marriage contract； for it is my will that I be to thee wife and thou be to me man.' Then she sent for the Kazi and the witnesses and busied herself with making ready； and，when they came，she said to them，'Mohammed Ali，bin Ali the Jeweller，seeketh me in wedlock and hath given me the necklace to my marriage-settlement； and I accept and consent.' So they wrote out the contract of marriage between us； and ere I went in to her the servants brought the wine-furniture and the cups passed round after the fairest fashion and the goodliest ordering； and，when the wine mounted to our heads，she ordered a damsel，a lute-player，[199] to sing.So she took the lute and sang to a pleasing and stirring motive these couplets，'He comes； and fawn and branch and moon delight these eyne *Fie[200] on his heart who sleeps o' nights without repine Pair youth，for whom Heaven willed to quench in cheek one light，* And left another light on other cheek bright li'en：

I fain finesse my chiders when they mention him，* As though the hearing of his name I would decline；

And willing ear I lend when they of other speak；*Yet would my soul within outflow in foods of brine：

Beauty's own prophet，he is all a miracle*Of heavenly grace，and greatest shows his face for sign.[201]

To prayer Bilal-like cries that Mole upon his cheek*To ward from pearly brow all eyes of ill design：[202]

The censors of their ignorance would my love dispel*But after Faith I can't at once turn Infidel.'

We were ravished by the sweet music she made striking the strings，and the beauty of the verses she sang； and the other damsels went on to sing and to recite one after another，till ten had so done； when the Lady Dunya took the lute and playing a lively measure，chanted these couplets，'I swear by swayings of that form so fair，* Aye from thy parting fiery Pity a heart which burneth in thy love，* O bright as fullest moon in blackest air！

Vouchsafe thy boons to him who ne'er will cease*In light of wine-cup all thy charms declare，Amid the roses which with varied hues*Are to the myrtle-bush[203] a mere despair.'

When she had finished her verse I took the lute from her hands and，playing a quaint and not vulgar prelude sang the following verses，'Laud to my Lord who gave thee all of loveliness；*Myself amid thy thralls I willingly confess：

O thou，whose eyes and glances captivate mankind，* Pray that I'scape those arrows shot with all thy stress！

Two hostile rivals water and enflaming fire*Thy cheek hath married，which for marvel I profess：

Thou art Sa'ir in heart of me and eke Na'im；[204]*Thou agro-dolce，eke heart's sweetest bitterness.'

When she heard this my song she rejoiced with exceeding joy；

then，dismissing her slave women，she brought me to a most goodly place，where they had spread us a bed of various colours.She did off her clothes and I had a lover's privacy of her and found her a pearl unpierced and a filly unridden.So I rejoiced in her and never in my born days spent I a more delicious night.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.