They ceased not from mutual chiding till morning morrowed, when Zayn al-Mawasif said, “O Masrur ’tis time for thee to depart, lest one of the folk see thee and foul befal us twain.” So he arose and accompanied by nurse Hubub fared on, till they came to his lodging, where he talked with her and said to her, “All thou seekest of me is ready for thee, so but thou wilt bring me to enjoy her.” Hubub replied, “Hearten thy heart;” whereupon he rose and gave her an hundred dinars, saying “O Hubub, I have by me a dress worth an hundred gold pieces.” Answered she, “O Masrur, make haste with the trinkets and other things promised her, ere she change her mind, for we may not take her, save with wile and guile, and she loveth the saying of verse.” Quoth he, “Hearing and obeying,” and bringing her the musk and ambergris and lign-aloes and rose-water, returned with her to Zayn al-Mawasif and saluted her. She returned his salam with the sweetest speech, and he was dazed by her beauty and improvised these lines:—
O thou sheeniest Sun who in night dost shine! ✿ O who stole my soul with those large black eyne!
O slim-shaped fair with the graceful neck! ✿ O who shamest Rose wi’ those cheeks o’ thine!
Blind not our sight wi’ thy fell disdain, ✿ Disdain, that shall load us with pain and pine;
Passion homes in our inmost, nor will be quenched ✿ The fire of yearning in vitals li’en:
Your love has housèd in heart of me ✿ And of issue but you see I ne’er a sign:
Then haply you’ll pity this hapless wight ✿ Thy sad lover and then—O the Morn divine!
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses, she cast at him a glance of eyes, that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and sighs and his wits and soul were ravished in such wise, and answered him with these couplets[[320]]:—
Think not from her, of whom thou art enamoured aye ✿ To win delight; so put desire from thee away.
Leave that thou hop’st, for ’gainst her rigours whom thou lov’st ✿ Among the fair, in vain is all thou canst essay.