88
was there on her any trace of pain or care. As I looked and marvelled at her case, she turned and seeing me standing at the gate, said to me, “Welcome and fair welcome to thee, O Ibn Mensour! Come in.” So I entered and saluting her, gave her the letter. She read it and laughing, said to me, “O Ibn Mensour, the poet lied not when he said:
The love of thee I will endure with patient constancy, Till such time as a messenger shall come to me from thee.
O Ibn Mensour,” added she, “I will write thee an answer that he may give thee what he promised thee.” “May God requite thee with good!” answered I. So she called for inkhorn and paper and wrote the following verses:
How comes it my vows I fulfilled and thou, thou wast false to thy plight? Thou sawst me do justice and truth, and yet thou thyself didst unright.
’Twas thou that begannest on me with rupture and rigour, I trow; ’Twas thou that play’dst foul, and with thee began the untruth and the slight.
Yea, still I was true to my troth and cherished but thee among men And ceased not thine honour to guard and keep it unsullied and bright,
Till tidings of fashions full foul I heard, as reported of thee, And saw with mine eyes what thou didst, to harm me and work me despite.
Shall I then abase my estate, that thine may exalted become? By God, hadst thou generous been, the like should thy conduct requite!
So now unto solace I’ll turn my heart, with forgetting, from thee And washing my hands of thy thought, blot despair for thee out of my spright.
“By Allah, O my lady,” said I, “there needs but the reading of this letter, to kill him!” So I tore it in pieces and said to her, “Write him other than this.” “I hear and obey,” answered she and wrote the following:
Indeed, I am consoled and sleep is pleasant to mine eyes; For I have heard what came of prate of slanderers and spies.
My heart my summons hath obeyed, thee to forget; and eke My lids to stint from wake for thee have seen it good and wise.
