Suffice thee Death such marvels can enhance, ✿ And severed lives make lasting severance:
Man's days are marvels, and their stations are ✿ But water-pits[[64]] of misery and mischance.
Naught wrings my heart save loss of noble friends, ✿ Girt round by rings of hard, harsh circumstance.
When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words, she remembered her brother, Zau al-Makan, and his son Kanmakan, and, making her draw near to her and showing her honour, she said, "Verily at this moment, by Allah, I am grown rich and thou art poor; now by the Lord! we did not cease to seek thee out, but we feared to wound thy heart lest thou shouldest fancy our gifts to thee an alms-gift. Withal, whatso weal we now enjoy is from thee and thy husband; so our house is thy house and our place thy place, and thine is all our wealth and what goods we have belong to thee." Then she robed her in sumptuous robes and set apart for her a place in the Palace adjoining her own; and they abode therein, she and her son, in all delight of life. And Nuzhat al-Zaman clothed him also in Kings' raiment and gave to them both especial handmaids for their service. After a little, she related to her husband the sad case of the widow of her brother, Zau al-Makan, whereat his eyes filled with tears and he said, "Wouldest thou see the world after thee, look thou upon the world after other than thyself. Then entreat her honourably and enrich her poverty."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat al-Zaman related to her husband the sad case of the widow of her brother, Zau al-Makan, the Chamberlain said, "Entreat her honourably and enrich her poverty." Thus far concerning Nuzhat al-Zaman and her consort and the relict of Zau al-Makan; but as regards Kanmakan and his cousin Kuzia Fakan, they grew up and flourished till they waxed like unto two fruit-laden boughs or two shining moons; and they reached the age of fifteen. And she was indeed the fairest of maids who are modestly veiled, lovely-faced with smooth cheeks graced, and slender waist on heavy hips based; and her shape was the shaft's thin line and her lips were sweeter than old wine and the nectar of her mouth as it were the fountain Salsabíl[[65]]; even as saith the poet in these two couplets describing one like her:—
As though ptisane of wine on her lips honey-dew ✿ Dropt from the ripened grapes her mouth in clusters grew:
And, when her frame thou doublest, and low bends her vine, ✿ Praise her Creator's might no creature ever knew.
Of a truth Allah had united in her every charm: her shape would shame the branch of waving tree and the rose before her cheeks craved lenity; and the honey-dew of her lips of wine made jeer, however old and clear, and she gladdened heart and beholder with joyous cheer, even as saith of her the poet:—
Goodly of gifts is she, and charm those perfect eyes, ✿ With lashes shaming Kohl and all the fair ones Kohl'd[[66]]