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For parting I am sore concerned and longing for the home I love: I knew not what should hap nor looked for Fate’s despite.
Would God I knew if I shall e’er return to it again, And will it ever, as of yore, be pleasant to our spright!
‘O Zein el Mewasif,’ said her husband, ‘grieve not for thy departure from thy dwelling; for, God willing, thou shalt return to it before long.’ And he went on to comfort her heart and soothe her. Then they set out and fared on till they came without the town and struck into the high road, whereupon she knew that separation was assured, and this was grievous to her.
Meanwhile, Mesrour sat in his house, pondering his case and that of his mistress, and his heart forewarned him of separation. So he rose forthright and repairing to her house, found the outer door shut and read the verses she had written thereon; whereupon he fell down in a swoon. When he came to himself, he opened the door and entering, read what was written upon the two other doors; whereupon passion and love-longing and distraction waxed on him. So he went forth and hastened in her track, till he came up with the caravan and found her at the rear, whilst her husband rode in the van, because of his goods. When he saw her, he clung to the litter, weeping and lamenting for the anguish of separation, and recited the following verses:
Would I knew for what crime we are shot, wellaway! With the shafts of estrangement for ever and aye!
O desire of the heart, to thy dwelling I came, When distress for thy love sorely irked me, one day,
And I found the house empty, laid waste, and complained Of estrangement and groaned, in my spirit’s dismay,
Then I questioned the walls of my loves that are gone And have taken my heart as a pledge, ‘Where are they?’
And they said, ‘They made passion in ambush to lie In the entrails and fared from the dwellings away.’
They wrote for me lines on the portals, the deed Of the folk that keep faith nor their troth-plight betray.
