147
to me without thee, and indeed I can hardly as yet credit thy recovery, because thou art to me as he of whom quoth the poet:
Though Solomon his carpet were mine both day and night, Though the Chosroës’ empire, yea, and the world were mine,
All were to me in value less than a midge’s wing, Except mine eyes still rested upon that face of thine.’
Then he equipped the prince and Merzewan for the excursion, bidding make them ready four horses, together with a dromedary to carry the money and a camel for the water and victuals; and Kemerezzeman forbade any of his attendants to follow him. His father bade him farewell and pressed him to his breast and kissed him, saying, ‘I conjure thee by Allah, be not absent from me more than one night, wherein sleep will be denied me, for I am even as saith the poet:
Thy presence with me is my heaven of delight And my hell of affliction the loss of thy sight.
My soul be thy ransom! If love be my crime For thee, my offence, of a truth, is not light.
Doth passion blaze up in thy heart like to mine? I suffer the torments of hell day and night.’
‘O my father,’ answered Kemerezzeman, ‘God willing, I will lie but one night abroad.’ Then he took leave of him, and he and Merzewan mounted and taking with them the dromedary and camel, Night cci.rode out into the open country. They drew not bridle from the first of the day till nightfall, when they halted and ate and drank and fed their beasts and rested awhile; after which they again took horse and fared on three days, till they came to a spacious wooded tract. Here they alighted and Merzewan, taking the camel and one of the horses, slaughtered them and cut the flesh off their bones. Then he took from Kemerezzeman his shirt and trousers and cassock and tearing them in shreds, smeared them with the horse’s blood and
