Then,
'I conjure thee,' said she, 'by the light of his glorious
countenance, go at once, O accursed one, and bring hither thy
mistress in haste that we may lay them together and look on them
both, as they lie asleep side by side; so will it appear to us
whether is the goodlier and more beautiful of the two. Except
thou obey me forthright, I will dart my sparks at thee and
consume thee with my fire; yea, I will rend thee in pieces and
cast thee into the deserts, as an example to stay-at-home and
wayfarer.' 'O my lady,' answered the Afrit, 'I will do thy
bidding, for I know that my mistress is the fairer and sweeter.'
So saying, he flew away and Maimouneh flew with him, to guard
him. They were absent awhile and presently returned, bearing the
young lady, who was clad in a shift of fine Venetian silk, laced
with gold and wrought with the most exquisite broidery and having
the following verses worked upon the ends of the sleeves:
Three things for ever hinder her to visit us, for fear Of the
intriguing spy and eke the rancorous envier;
Her forehead's lustre and the sound of all her ornaments And the
sweet scent her creases hold of ambergris and myrrh.
Grant with the border of her sleeve she hide her brows and doff
Her ornaments, how shall she do her scent away from her?
They carried her into the saloon and laying her beside
Kemerezzeman, uncovered both their faces, and behold, they were
the likest of all folk, one to the other, as they were twins or
an only brother and sister; and indeed they were a temptation to
the pious, even as says of them the poet El Mubin:
Be not thy love, O heart, to one alone confined, Lest, for that
one, amaze and doting thee enwind;
But love thou rather all the fair, and thou shalt find, If one
contrarious prove, another will be kind.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176