第88章

And from the time he left me to this present hour，O Ibn Mansur，he hath neither written to me nor answered my letters.' Quoth I，'And what purposes' thou to do？' Quoth she，'I have a mind to send him a letter by thee.If thou bring me back an answer，thou shalt have of me five hundred gold pieces； and if not，then an hundred for thy trouble in going and coming.' I answered，'Do what seemeth good to thee； I hear and I obey thee.' Whereupon she called to one of her slave-girls，'Bring me ink case and paper，'and she wrote thereon these couplets，'Beloved，why this strangeness，why this hate？*When shall thy pardon reunite us two？

Why dost thou turn from me in severance？*Thy face is not the face I am wont to know.

Yes，slanderers falsed my words，and thou to them*Inclining，madest spite and envy grow.

An hast believed their tale，the Heavens forbid*Now thou believe it when dost better bow！

By thy life tell what hath reached thine ear，* Thou know'st what said they and so justice show.

An it be true I spoke the words，my words*Admit interpreting and change allow：

Given that the words of Allah were revealed，* Folk changed the Torah[335] and still changing go：

What slanders told they of mankind before！*Jacob heard Joseph blamed by tongue of foe.

Yea，for myself and slanderer and thee*An awful day of reckoning there shall be.'

Then she sealed the letter and gave it to me； and I took it and carried it to the house of Jubayr bin Umayr，whom I found absent a hunting.So I sat down to wait for him； and behold，he returned from the chase； and when I saw him，O Prince of True Believers，come riding up，my wit was confounded by his beauty and grace.As soon as he sighted me sitting at the house-door，he dismounted and coming up to me embraced me and saluted me； and meseemed I embraced the world and all therein.Then he carried me into his house and，seating me on his own couch，called for food.They brought a table of Khalanj-wood of Khorasan with feet of gold，whereon were all manners of meats，fried and roasted and the like.So I seated myself at the table and examining it with care found these couplets engraved upon it：'[336]--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say，When it was the Three Hundred and Thirtieth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Ali son of Mansur continued： 'So I seated myself at the table of Jubayr bin Umayr al-Shaybani and，examining it with care，found these couplets engraved upon it，'On these which once were-chicks，Your mourning glances fix，Late dwellers in the mansion of the cup，Now nearly eaten up！

Let tears bedew The memory of that stew，Those partridges，once roast，Now lost！

The daughters of the grouse in plaintive strain Bemourn，and still bemourn，and mourn again！

The children of the fry，We lately saw Half smothered in pilau With buttery mutton fritters smoking by！

Alas！ my heart，the fish！

Who filled his dish，With flaky form in varying colours spread On the round pastry cake of household bread！

Heaven sent us that kabob！

For no one could （Save heaven he should rob）

Produce a thing so excellently good，Or give us roasted meat With basting oil so savourily replete！

But，oh！ mine appetite，alas！ for thee！

Who on that furmeaty So sharpset west a little while ago--That furmeaty，which mashed by hands of snow，A light reflection bore，Of the bright bracelets that those fair hands wore；

Again remembrance glads my sense With visions of its excellence！

Again I see the cloth unrolled Rich worked in many a varied fold！

Be patient，oh！ my soul，they say Fortune rules all that's new and strange，And though she pinches us to day，To-morrow brings full rations，and a change！'[337]

Then said Jubayr，'Put forth thy hand to our food and ease our heart by eating of our victual.' Answered I，'By Allah，I will not eat a mouthful，till thou grant me my desire.' He asked，'What is thy desire？'； so I brought out the letter and gave it to him； but，when he had read it and mastered its contents，he tore it in pieces and throwing it on the floor，said to me，'O Ibn Mansur，I will grant thee whatever thou askest save thy desire which concerneth the writer of this letter，for I have no answer to her.' At this I rose in anger； but he caught hold of my skirts，saying，'O Ibn Mansur，I will tell thee what she said to thee，albeit I was not present with you.' I asked，'And what did she say to me？'； and he answered，'Did not the writer of this letter say to thee，If thou bring me back an answer，thou shalt have of me five hundred ducats； and if not，an hundred for thy pains？' 'Yes，' replied I； and he rejoined，'Abide with me this day and eat and drink and enjoy thyself and make merry，and thou shalt have thy five hundred ducats.' So I sat with him and ate and drank and made merry and enjoyed myself and entertained him with talk deep in to the night；[338] after which I said to him，'O my master，is there no music in thy house.' He answered，'Verily for many a day we have drunk without music.' Then he called out，saying，'Ho，Shajarat al-Durr？' Whereupon a slave-

girl answered him from her chamber and came in to us，with a lute of Hindu make，wrapped in a silken bag.And she sat down and，laying the lute in her lap，preluded in one and twenty modes；

then，returning to the first，she sang to a lively measure these couplets，'We have ne'er tasted of Love's sweets and bitter draught，* No difference kens 'twixt presence-bliss and absence-stress；

And so，who hath declined from Love's true road，* No diference kens 'twixt smooth and ruggedness：

I ceased not to oppose the votaries of love，* Till I had tried its sweets and bitters not the less：

How many a night my pretty friend conversed with me*And sipped I from his lips honey of love liesse：

Now have I drunk its cup of bitterness，until*To bondman and to freedman I have proved me base.

How short-aged was the night together we enjoyed，* When seemed it daybreak came on nightfall's heel to press！

But Fate had vowed to disunite us lovers twain，* And she too well hath kept her vow，that votaress.