When the day
came, they cleaned the guest-chamber and washed the marble floor,
then spread carpets about the house and set out thereon what
was needful, after they had hung the walls with cloth of gold.
Now the folk had agreed to come to our house after the Friday-
prayers; so my father went and let make cates and dishes
of sweetmeats, and there remained nothing to do but to draw up
the contract. Then my mother sent me to the bath and sent after
me a suit of new clothes of the richest kind which I put on, when
I came out. The clothes were perfumed, and as I went along, there
exhaled from them a delicious fragrance, that scented the way. I
was about to repair to the mosque, when I bethought me of one of
my friends and was minded to go in quest of him that he might be
present at the drawing up of the contract, saying in myself,
"This will occupy me till near the time of prayer." So I turned
back and came to a by-street, that I had never before entered.
Now I was in a profuse perspiration, from the effects of the bath
and the new clothes on my body, and the sweat streamed from me,
whilst the perfume of my clothes was wafted abroad: so I sat down
to rest on a stone bench at the upper end of the street,
spreading under me an embroidered handkerchief I had with me. The
heat redoubled on me, so that my forehead sweated and the drops
ran down on to my cheeks; but I could not wipe my face with my
handkerchief, because I lay upon it.
Pages:
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295