85
An if unto the River Nile my tears may likened be, Meseems the love I bear to thee El Melec[1] should be hight.’
Quoth she, ‘Then bring me all thy good.’ ‘Take it,’ said I and she, ‘And thy sleep.’ ‘[Take it] from mine eyes,’ I answered her forthright.
When she heard Noureddin’s words and noted the beauty of his eloquence, she was transported and her wit was dazed and love of him got hold upon her whole heart. So she pressed him to her bosom and fell to kissing him after the manner of doves billing, whilst he returned her caresses; but the vantage is to the first comer. When she had made an end of kissing, she took the lute and recited the following verses:
Ah, woe’s us for a blamer, to censure ever prone, Whether or no of passion to him I make my moan!
O thou that dost reject me, I had not thought that I Should in thy love abasement meet with, and thou mine own.
I used to rail at lovers for love, and now to those, Who blame thee, my abasement for thee I have made known.
The votaries of passion whilom I blamed; but now I do excuse all lovers for passion overthrown;
And if, for thine estrangement, distress be sore on me, God in thy name, O Ali, I’ll pray and thine alone.
And also these:
Quoth his lovers, ‘Except of the nectar so rare Of his mouth he vouchsafe us to drink, debonair,
To the Lord of all creatures we’ll make our complaint And “O Ali!” we’ll say with one voice in our prayer.’
Noureddin marvelled at the fluency of her tongue and praised her grace and exceeding seductiveness; whereupon she rose and putting off all that was upon her of [outer] clothes and trinkets, sat down on his knees and kissed
- ↑ Melec means level ground; but quære some place or tract on the banks of the Nile meant.
