' As for the
carob-bean, it signifies, 'The lover's heart is wearied; so be
thou patient under our separation, even as Job was patient.'"
When I heard this, fires raged in my entrails and grief redoubled
upon my heart and I cried out, saying, "God ordained sleep to me,
of my ill-fortune!" Then I said to her, "O my cousin, I conjure
thee by my life, contrive me some device whereby I may win to
her!" She wept and answered, "O Aziz, O my cousin, verily my
heart is full of melancholy thought and I cannot speak: but go
thou again to-night to the same place and look that thou sleep
not, and thou shalt surely attain thy desire. This is my counsel
and peace be on thee." "God willing," said I, "I will not sleep,
but will do as thou biddest me." Then she rose and set food
before me, saying, "Eat now what may suffice thee, that thy heart
may be free." So I ate my fill, and when the night came, my
cousin rose and bringing me a sumptuous suit of clothes, clad me
therein. Then she made me promise to repeat the verse aforesaid
to my mistress and bade me beware of sleeping. So I left her and
repairing to the garden, went up into the pavilion, where I
occupied myself with gazing on the garden, holding my eyes open
with my fingers and wagging my head from side to side, as the
night darkened on me. Presently I grew hungry with watching, and
the smell of the meats, being wafted towards me, increased my
hunger: so I went up to the table and taking off the cover, ate a
piece of meat and a mouthful of every dish; after which I turned
to the vessel of wine, saying in myself, "I will drink one cup.
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