How short the way to my love I fare, ✿ Which, from her faring, so long I see.
Now when he had made an end of his song, Naomi filled the cup and gave it to him, and he took it and drank it off; then she filled again and gave the cup to the Caliph’s sister who also emptied it; after which the Princess in her turn took the lute and tightened the strings and tuned it and sang these two couplets:—
Grief, cark and care in my heart reside, ✿ And the fires of love in my breast abide;
My wasted form to all eyes shows clear; ✿ For Desire my body hath mortified.
Then she filled the cup and gave it to Naomi, who drank it off and taking the lute, sang these two couplets:—
O to whom I gave soul which thou torturest, ✿ And in vain I’d recover from fair Unfaith,
Do grant thy favours my care to cure ✿ Ere I die, for this be my latest breath.
And they ceased not to sing verses and drink to the sweet sound of the strings, full of mirth and merriment and joy and jollity till behold, in came the Commander of the Faithful. Now when they saw him, they rose and kissed the ground before him; and he, seeing Naomi with the lute in her hand, said to her, “O Naomi, praised be Allah who hath done away from thee sickness and suffering!” Then he looked at Ni’amah (who was still disguised as a woman), and said to the Princess, “O my sister, what damsel is this by Naomi’s side?” She replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, thou hast here a handmaid, one of thy concubines and the bosom friend of Naomi who will neither eat nor drink without her.” And she repeated the words of the poet:—
Two contraries, and both concur in opposite charms, ✿ And charms so contraried by contrast lovelier show.
Quoth the Caliph, “By Allah Omnipotent, verily she is as handsome as Naomi, and to-morrow I will appoint her a separate chamber beside that of her friend and send her furniture and stuffs and all that befitteth her, in honour of Naomi.” Then the Princess called for food and set it before her brother, who ate and made himself at home in their place and company. Then filling a cup he signed to Naomi to sing; so she took the lute, after draining two of them and sang these two couplets:—