Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/265

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betided her with the accursed Maugrabin enchanter, used every day to arise, at the first peep of dawn,[1] and sit weeping; nay, she slept not anights and forswore meat and drink. Her handmaid used to go in to her at the time of the Salutation,[2] so she might dress her, and that morning, by the decree of destiny, the damsel opened the window at that time, thinking to solace her mistress with the sight of the trees and streams. So she looked out and seeing her lord Alaeddin sitting under the windows of the pavilion, said to the princess, “O my lady, my lady, here is my lord Alaeddin sitting under the pavilion!” Whereupon the Lady Bedrulbudour arose in haste and looking from the window, saw Alaeddin, and he raised his head and saw her; so she saluted him and he her and they were both like to fly for joy. Then said she to him, “Arise and come in to me by the privy door, for that the accursed one[3] is not now here;” and she bade her handmaid go down and open the door. So the damsel went down and opened to Alaeddin, who arose and entered

  1. Lit. “From (as Fr. dès) the deep or remote dawn” (min el fejri ’l ghemic, Syr. for emic), cf. Matthew Arnold’s “Resignation;” “The cuckoo, loud on some high lawn, Is answered from the depth of dawn.”
  2. The terminal formula of the dawn-prayer.
  3. i.e. the magician.