" "By
Allah, O my cousin," answered she, "these are indeed the signs of
love!" And the tears streamed down her cheeks, whilst she
gathered the fragments of the dishes and wiped up the food; then
she sat down by me and talked to me, whilst I prayed God to
hasten the coming of the day. When, at last, the morning arose
with its light and shone, I went out and hastening to the
by-street in question, sat down on the bench, when behold, the
wicket opened and she put out her head, laughing. Then she went
in and returned with a mirror, a bag, a pot of flowering plants
and a lamp. First, she took the mirror and putting it into the
bag, tied it up and threw it back into the room; after which she
let down her hair over her face and set the lamp an instant on
the pot of flowers; then took up all the things and shutting the
window, went away, without saying a word. My heart was tortured
by her obscure signs and mysterious gestures, and passion and
distraction redoubled on me. So I retraced my steps, tearful-eyed
and mournful-hearted, and returning home, found Azizeh sitting,
with her face to the wall; for her heart was on fire for grief
and anxiety and jealousy; albeit the love she bore me forbade her
to acquaint me with what she suffered, by reason of what she saw
of the excess of my passion and distraction (for another). I
looked at her and saw that she had two bandages on her head, one
on account of the wound on her forehead, and the other over her
eye, which pained her for excess of weeping; and she was in very
sorry plight, weeping and repeating the following verses:
I count the nights, night after night, the weary nights and slow;
Yet would I, once upon a time, unreckoned let them go.
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