Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 3.djvu/205

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O Abu al-Hasan, thou hast desolated me by thine absence this day; for indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my time." Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy healing at the price of my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; and, could I ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down for thee. Now this very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been with me and told me that what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's sojourn with her mistress; and she acquainted me with everything which had betided her." And he went on to repeat to him all that the girl had told him of Shams al-Nahar; at which Ali bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my brother, help me in this affliction and teach me what course I shall take. Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to abide with me this night, that I may have the solace of thy society." Abu al-Hasan agreed to this request, replying that he would readily night there; so they talked together till even-tide darkened, when Ali bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept copious tears, reciting these couplets,

   "Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, * My heart thy home; how couldst thou disappear?
   How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, * Nor see I boon of union far or near."

And these the words of another,

   "She split my casque of courage with eye-swords that sorely smite; *
        She pierced my patience' ring-mail with her shape like cane-spear light:
   Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed *
        Camphor set round with ambergris, light dawning through the night. [1]
   Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls *
        Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite: [2]
   Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her breast, *
        And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld such sight, 
   Pens, fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink, * 
        Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite: 
   O
  1. i.e. her fair face shining through the black hair. "Camphor" is a favourite with Arab poets: the Persians hate it because connected in their minds with death; being used for purifying the corpse. We read in Burckhardt (Prov. 464) "Singing without siller is like a corpse without Hanút"--this being a mixture of camphor and rose-water sprinkled over the face of the dead before shrouded. Similarly Persians avoid speaking of coffee, because they drink it at funerals and use tea at other times.
  2. i.e. she is angry and bites her carnelion lips with pearly teeth.