Then she asked me how I had fared, and I told her all that had
happened. "O my cousin," said she, "as for her sign to thee with
her palm and five fingers, it meant, 'Return after five days;'
and her gestures with the mirror and the putting forth of her
head and the lowering and raising of the red handkerchief meant,
'Sit in the dyer's shop, till my messenger come to thee.'" When I
heard this, fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed, "O my
cousin, by Allah, thou sayst sooth in this thine interpretation;
for I saw the shop of a Jewish dyer in the street." Then I wept,
and she said, "O my cousin, summon up resolution and be steadfast
of heart: others are occupied with love for years and are
constant to endure the ardour of passion, whilst thou hast but a
week[FN#128] to wait; so why art thou thus impatient?" Then she
went on to cheer me with comfortable talk and brought me food: so
I took a mouthful, but could not eat and abstained from meat and
drink and knew not the solace of sleep, till my colour paled and
I lost my good looks; for I had never before been in love nor
tasted the ardour of passion. So I fell sick and my cousin also
sickened on my account; but every night she would divert me with
stories of love and lovers, till I fell asleep; and whenever I
awoke, I used to find her wakeful for my sake, with the tears
running down her cheeks. Thus we did till the five days were
past, when she rose and heating water, bathed me with it.
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