Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted and said to him, “O Masrur, how goodly are thy inner gifts! May he live not who would harm thy heart!” Then she entered her boudoir and called him: so he went in to her and taking her in his arms, embraced her and hugged her and kissed her and got of her that which he had deemed impossible and rejoiced in winning the sweet of amorous will. Then said she, “O Masrur, thy good is unlawful to me and is lawfully thine again now that we are become lovers.” So she returned to him all she had taken of him and asked him, “O Masrur, hast thou a flower-garden whither we may wend and take our pleasure?”; whereto he answered, “Yes, O my lady, I have a garden that hath not its like.” Then he returned to his lodgings and bade his slave-girls make ready a splendid banquet in a handsome room; after which he summoned Zayn al-Mawasif who came surrounded by her damsels, and they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment, whilst the cup passed round between them and their spirits rose high. Then lover withdrew with beloved and Zayn al-Mawasif said to Masrur, “I have bethought me of some dainty verses, which I would fain sing to the lute.” He replied, “Do sing them”; so she took the lute and tuning it, sang to a pleasant air these couplets:—
Joy from stroke of string doth to me incline, ✿ And sweet is a-morning our early wine;
Whenas Love unveileth the amourist’s heart, ✿ And by rending the veil he displays his sign,
With a draught so pure, so dear, so bright, ✿ As in hand of Moons[[337]] the Sun’s sheeny shine
O’ nights it cometh with joy to ’rase ✿ The hoar of sorrow by boon divine.
Then ending her verse, she said to him, “O Masrur, recite us somewhat of thy poetry and favour us with the fruit of thy thought.” So he recited these two couplets:—
We joy in full Moon who the wine bears round, ✿ And in concert of lutes that from gardens sound;
Where the dove moans at dawn and where bends the bough ✿ To Morn, and all pathways of pleasure are found.
When he had finished his recitation she said to him, “Make us some verses on that which hath passed between us an thou be occupied with love of me.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-first Night,