" "No harm shall befall thee," answered she; "and needs must
thou attain thy desire in the way that is pleasing to God. I am
my own mistress and the Cadi shall act as my guardian, in
consenting to the marriage-contract; for it is my will that I be
thy wife and thou my husband." Then she sent for the Cadi and the
witnesses and busied herself with the necessary preparations.
When they came, she said to them, "Mohammed Ali ben Ali the
jeweller seeks me in marriage and hath given me the necklace to
my dowry; and I accept and consent." So they drew up the contract
of marriage between us; after which the servants brought the
wine-service and the cups passed round, after the goodliest
ordinance: and when the wine mounted to our heads, she ordered a
damsel, a lute-player, to sing. So she took the lute and sang
thereto the following verses:
He comes and shows me, all in one, fawn, moon and sapling slight:
Foul fall the heart for thought of him that watches not the
night!
A fair one, Allah had a mind t' extinguish from his cheek One
ravishment, and straight, instead, another sprang to light.
Whenas my censors speak of him, I cavil at their word, Feigning
as if I did mislike the mention of the wight;
Yea, and I hearken, when they speak of other than of him, Though
for the thought of him, nathelesse, I am consumed outright.
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