237
“Yes,” answered he, and she, “Thou sayst truly; for she ceases not to name thee.” Then he told her all that had passed from first to last, and she said, “O youth, thou shalt owe thy reunion with her to none but me.” So she mounted at once and returning to Num, looked in her face and smiled, saying, “O my daughter, it is just that thou weep and fall sick for thy separation from thy master Nimeh ben er Rebya of Cufa.” Quoth Num, “Verily, the veil has been withdrawn for thee and the truth revealed to thee.” “Be of good cheer,” rejoined the old woman, “and take heart, for I will surely bring you together, though it cost me my life.” Then she returned to Nimeh and said to him, “I have seen thy slave-girl and find that she longs for thee yet more than thou for her; for the Commander of the Faithful is minded to foregather with her, but she refuses herself to him. But if thou be stout of heart and firm of courage, I will bring you together and venture myself for you and make shift to bring thee to her in the Khalif’s palace; for she cannot come forth.” And Nimeh answered, “God requite thee with good!” Then she went back to Num and said to her, “Thy lord is indeed dying of love for thee and would fain see thee and foregather with thee. What sayst thou?” “And I also,” answered Num, “am dying for his sight.” So the old woman took a parcel of women’s clothes and ornaments and repairing to Nimeh, said to him, “Come apart with me into a privy place.” So he brought her into the room behind the shop, where she painted him and decked his wrists and plaited his hair, after which she clad him in a slave-girl’s habit and adorned him after the fairest fashion of woman’s adornment, till he was as one of the houris of Paradise; and when she saw him thus, she exclaimed, “Blessed be God, the most excellent Creator! By Allah, thou art handsomer than the damsel! Now, walk with thy left shoulder forward and swing thy buttocks.” So
