Lo, when two hearts are straitly knit in passion and desire, But
on cold iron smite the folk that chide at them in vain.
Thou that for loving censures the votaries of love, Canst thou
assain a heart diseased or heal a cankered brain?
O Lord, O Thou Compassionate, I prithee, ere we die, Though only
for a single day, unite us two again!
Then he turned to Maimouneh and Dehnesh and said to them, 'By
Allah, if you will have the truth, they are equal in beauty and
grace and perfection, nor is there any difference between them
but that of sex. But I have another idea, and it is that we wake
each of them in turn, without the other's knowledge, and
whichever is more enamoured of the other shall be held the lesser
in beauty and grace.' 'This is a good counsel,' answered
Maimouneh, and Dehnesh said, 'I consent to this.' Then Dehnesh
changed himself to a flea and bit Kemerezzeman on the neck,
whereupon the prince awoke with a start and rubbed the place of
the bite, because of the smart. Then turning sideways, he found
lying by him something, whose breath was more fragrant than musk,
and whose body was softer than cream. At this he marvelled
greatly and sitting up, looked at this that lay beside him and
saw it to be a young lady like the moon, as she were a splendid
pearl, or a shining sun, five feet high, with a shape like the
letter I, high-bosomed and rosy-checked; even as saith of her the
poet:
Four things there are, which ne'er unite, except it be To shed my
heart's best blood and take my soul by storm.
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