Then deigned our Caliph’s Bride to cry, “Where is that dress of thine?” ✿ And I replied, “In house of him kept darkling as the night.”
So down upon it pounced Masrúr and brought it unto her, ✿ And when ’twas there each feather cast a ray of beaming light:
Therewith I took it from his hand and opened it straightway ✿ And saw its plumèd bosom and its buttons pleased my sight:
And so I clad myself therein and took with me my babes; ✿ And spread my wings and flew away with all my main and might;
Saying, “O husband’s mother mine tell him when cometh he ✿ An ever wouldest meet her thou from house and home must flee.”
When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady Zubaydah said to her, “Wilt thou not come down to us, that we may take our fill of thy beauty, O fairest of the fair? Glory be to Him who hath given thee eloquence and brilliance!” But she said, “Far be from me that the Past return should see!” Then said she to the mother of the hapless, wretched Hasan, “By Allah, O my lady, O mother of my husband, it irketh me to part from thee; but, whenas thy son cometh to thee and upon him the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him come in the islands of Wák[[95]] to me.” Then she took flight with her children and sought her own country, whilst the old woman wept and beat her face and moaned and groaned till she swooned away. When she came to herself, she said to the Lady Zubaydah, “O my lady, what is this thou hast done?” And Zubaydah said to her, “O my lady the pilgrimess, I knew not that this would happen and hadst thou told me of the case and acquainted me with her condition, I had not gainsaid thee. Nor did I know until now that she was of the Flying Jinn; else had I not suffered her to don the dress nor permitted her to take her children: but now, O my lady, words profit nothing; so do thou acquit me of offence against thee.” And the old woman could do no otherwise than shortly answer, “Thou art acquitted!” Then she went forth the palace of the Caliphate and returned to her own house, where she buffeted her face till she swooned away. When she came to herself, she pined for her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren and for the sight of her son and versified with these couplets:—
Your faring on the parting-day drew many a tear fro’ me, ✿ Who must your flying from the home long mourn in misery:
And cried I for the parting pang in anguish likest fire ✿ And tear-floods chafed mine eyelids sore that ne’er of tears were free;
“Yes, this is Severance, Ah, shall we e’er joy return of you? ✿ For your departure hath deprived my power of privacy!”
Ah, would they had returned to me in covenant of faith ✿ An they return perhaps restore of past these eyne may see.