9
O cassia-branch, delight of garth and knoll, Spare thou my heart, who dost possess my soul.
The cup of death for love thou’st made me drain, Clad me in wede of abjectness and dole.
How shall I be consoled, since thou hast ta’en My heart, for love of thee a red-hot coal?
‘Away from me!’ cried she. ‘Quoth the adage, “He who giveth loose to his eyes wearieth his heart.” By Allah, I am tired of discourse with thee and chiding, and indeed thy soul coveteth that which shall never be thine; nay, though thou gavest me my weight in gold, thou shouldst not get thy wish of me; for, by the bounty of God the Most High, I know nought of the things of the world, save pleasant life.’ ‘O my lady Zein el Mewasif,’ answered he, ‘ask of me what thou wilt of the goods of the world.’ Quoth she, ‘What shall I ask of thee? For sure thou wilt go out into the highway [and discover my case to the folk] and I shall become a laughing-stock among them and they will make a byword of me in verse, me who am the daughter of the chief of the merchants and whose father is known of the notables of the people. I have no need of money or raiment and this love will not be hidden from the folk and I shall be brought to shame, I and my family.’
With this Mesrour was confounded and could make her no answer; but presently she said, ‘Indeed, the skilful thief, if he steal, stealeth not but what is worth [the adventuring of] his neck, and every woman who doth lewdness with other than her husband is styled a thief; so, if it must be thus and no help, thou shalt give me whatsoever my heart desireth of money and raiment and trinkets and what not.’ Quoth he, ‘An thou soughtest of me the world and all that is therein, from East to West, it were but a little thing, compared with thy favour.’ And she said, ‘I will have of thee three suits, each worth a
