Then who dare chide or blame me for my love ✿ Of one that can all Beauty’s boons unite?
When Al-Abbas had made an end of his verses, he folded the letter and delivering it to the nurse, charged her keep the secret. So she took it and carrying it to Mariyah, gave it to her. The Princess broke it open and read it and apprehended its purport; then cried she, “By Allah, O nurse, my heart is chagrined with exceeding chagrin, never knew I a sorer, because of this correspondence and of these verses.” And the nurse made answer to her, “O my lady, thou art in thy dwelling and thy palace and thy heart is void of care; so return him a reply and reck not.” Accordingly, the Princess called for ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets:—
Ho thou who wouldst vaunt thee of cark and care; ✿ How many love-molten, tryst-craving be there?
An hast wandered the wold in the murks of night ✿ Bound afar and anear on the tracks to fare,
And to eyne hast forbidden the sweets of sleep, ✿ Borne by Devils and Marids to dangerous lair;
And beggest my boons, O in tribe-land[[388]] homed ✿ And to urge thy wish and desire wouldst dare;
Now, woo Patience fair, an thou bear in mind ✿ What The Ruthful promised to patient prayer![[389]]
How many a king for my sake hath vied, ✿ Craving love and in marriage with me to pair.
Al-Nabhán sent, when a-wooing me, ✿ Camels baled with musk and Nadd scenting air.
They brought camphor in boxes and like thereof ✿ Of pearls and rubies that countless were;