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till she went forth; and when she saw the preparations for the journey, her heart misgave her of separation from her beloved and she wept sore and wrote upon the door the following verses, to acquaint him with what had passed and with the transports of passion and grief that were upon her, transports such as would make the flesh quake, that would cause the hearts of stones to melt and eyes to overflow with tears:
By Allah, O house, if the loved one pass in the morning-glow And greet with the greeting of lovers, as they pass to and fro,
Give him our salutation, a pure and fragrant one, For that we have departed, and whither he may not know.
Why on this wise they hurry me off by stealth, anights And lightly equipped, I know not, nor whither with me they go.
Neath cover of night and darkness, they carry me forth, alack! Whilst the birds in the brake bewail us and make their moan for our woe;
And the tongue of the case interprets their language and cries, “Alas, Alas for the pain of parting from those that we love, heigho!”
When I saw that the cups of sev’rance were filled and that Fate, indeed, Would give us to drink of its bitter, unmingled, would we or no,
I blended the draught with patience becoming, as best I might; But patience avails not to solace my heart for your loss, I trow.
Then she mounted, and they set forward with her and fared on over desert and plain and hill, till they came to the shore of the Sea of Treasures, where they pitched their tents and built a great ship, in which they embarked her and her suite and carried them over to the mountain. Here they left them in the castle and making their way back to the shore, broke up the vessel, in obedience to the Vizier’s commandment, and returned home, weeping over what had befallen.
Meanwhile, Uns el Wujoud arose from sleep and prayed the morning prayer, after which he mounted and rode forth to wait upon the Sultan. On his way, he passed by the Vizier’s house, thinking to see some of his followers, as of wont, but saw no one and drawing near
