Whereupon Masrur laughed her-wards and she asked him, "What causeth thee to laugh?" "For the fulness of my joy," quoth he. Presently, the breeze blew on her and the scarf[FN#315] fell from her head and discovered a fillet[FN#316] of glittering gold, set with pearls and gems and jacinths; and on her breast was a necklace of all manner ring-jewels and precious stones, to the centre of which hung a sparrow of red gold, with feet of red coral and bill of white silver and body full of Nadd-powder and pure ambergris and odoriferous musk. And upon its back was engraved,
"The Nadd is my wine-scented powder, my bread; * And the bosom's
my bed and the breasts my stead:
And my neck-nape complains of the weight of love, * Of my pain,
of my pine, of my drearihead."
Then Masrur looked at the breast of her shift and behold, thereon lay wroughten in red gold this verse,
"The fragrance of musk from the breasts of the fair * Zephyr
borrows, to sweeten the morning air."
Masrur marvelled at this with exceeding wonder and was dazed by her charms and amazement gat hold upon him. Then said Zayn al-Mawásif to him, "Begone from us and go about thy business, lest the neighbours hear of us and even us with the lewd." He replied, "By Allah, O my lady, suffer my sight to enjoy the view of thy beauty and loveliness." With this she was wroth with him and leaving him, walked in the garden, and he looked at her shift-sleeve and saw upon it embroidered these lines,
"The weaver-wight wrote with gold-ore bright * And her wrists on
brocade rained a brighter light:
Her palms are adorned with a silvern sheen; * And favour her
fingers the ivory's white:
For their tips are rounded like priceless pearl; * And her charms
would enlighten the nightiest night."
And, as she paced the garth, Masrur gazed at her slippers and saw written upon them these pleasant lines,
"The slippers that carry these fair young feet * Cause her form
to bend in its gracious bloom:
When she paces and waves in the breeze she owns, * She shines
fullest moon in the murkiest gloom."
She was followed by her women leaving Hubub with Masrur by the curtain, upon whose edge were embroidered these couplets,
"Behind the veil a damsel sits with gracious beauty dight, *
Praise to the Lord who decked her with these inner gifts of
sprite!
Guards her the garden and the bird fain bears her company; *
Gladden her wine-draughts and the bowl but makes her
brighter-bright.
Apple and Cassia-blossom show their envy of her cheeks; * And
borrows Pearl resplendency from her resplendent light;
As though the sperm that gendered her were drop of
marguerite[FN#317] * Happy who kisses her and spends in her
embrace the night."