She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the damsel cried, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have been wronged!” Quoth he, “How so, and who hath wronged thee?” Quoth she “Thy son bought me awhile ago, for ten thousand dirhams, meaning to give me to thee; but thy wife, the daughter of thine uncle, sent him the said price and bade him shut me up from thee in this chamber.” Whereupon said the Caliph. “Ask a boon of me,” and she, “I ask thee to lie with me to-morrow night.” Replied the Caliph, “Inshallah!” and leaving her, went away. Now as soon as it was morning, he repaired to his sitting-room and called for Abu Nowás, but found him not and sent his chamberlain to ask after him. The chamberlain found him in a tavern, pawned and pledged for a score of a thousand dirhams, which he had spent on a certain beardless youth, and questioned him of his case. So he told him what had betided him with the comely boy and how he had spent upon him a thousand silver pieces; whereupon quoth the chamberlain, “Show him to me; and if he be worth this, thou art excused.” He answered, “Patience, and thou shalt see him presently.” As they were talking together, up came the lad, clad in a white tunic, under which was another of red and under this yet another black. Now when Abu Nowas saw him, he sighed a loud sigh and improvised these couplets:—
He showed himself in shirt of white, ✿ With eyes and eyelids languor-dight.
Quoth I, “Dost pass and greet me not? ✿ Though were thy greeting a delight?
Blest He who clothed in rose thy cheeks, ✿ Creates what wills He by His might!”
Quoth he, “Leave prate, forsure my Lord ✿ Of works is wondrous infinite:
My garment’s like my face and luck; ✿ All three are white on white on white.”
When the beardless one heard these words, he doffed the white tunic and appeared in the red; and when Abu Nowas saw him he redoubled in expressions of admiration and repeated these couplets:—
He showed in garb anemone-red, ✿ A foeman “friend” entitulèd:
Quoth I in marvel, “Thou’rt full moon ✿ Whose weed shames rose however red:
Hath thy cheek stained it red, or hast ✿ Dyed it in blood by lovers bled?”