And estrangement from her hath so worn me down ✿ I am like a shape in a shroud we see.
O thou sire of spoils,[[46]] O thou lion of war, ✿ Give not my pains to the blamer’s gree.
I burn with love, I am drowned in tears ✿ For a parting from lover, sore misery!
And my thoughts of her in the murk of night ✿ For love hath made my being unbe.
As he had finished his lines the lion rose——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as Uns al-Wujud ended his lines, the lion arose and stalked slowly up to him, with eyes tear-railing and licked him with his tongue, then walked on before him, signing to him as though saying, “Follow me.” So he followed him, and the beast ceased not leading him on for a while till he brought him up a mountain, and guided him to the farther side, where he came upon the track of a caravan over the desert, and knew it to be that of Rose-in-Hood and her company. Then he took the trail and, when the lion saw that he knew the track for that of the party which escorted her, he turned back and went his way; whilst Uns al-Wujud walked along the foot-marks day and night, till they brought him to a dashing sea, swollen with clashing surge. The trail led down to the sandy shore and there broke off; whereby he knew that they had taken ship and had continued their journey by water. So he lost hope of finding his lover and with hot tears he repeated these couplets:—
Far is the fane and patience faileth me; ✿ How can I seek them[[47]] o’er the abysmal sea;
Or how be patient, when my vitals burn ✿ For love of them, and sleep waxed insomny?
Since the sad day they left the home and fled, ✿ My heart’s consumèd by love’s ardency: