And sing in her presence, for Envy hath fled ✿ And flies jealous spite and all joys combine.
Oh the charms of wine which enthral the mind, ✿ Clear and clearing sprites by its sprite refined!”
When the seventh handmaiden had ended her verses, King Yusuf and Ibrahim rejoiced with exceeding joy and each of them bade gift her with a thousand gold pieces and quoth the courtier, “By Allah Almighty, none of the Emirs or of the Wazirs or of the Kings or of the Caliphs hath attained excellence like unto this handmaid. Hereupon Na’im passed her goblet to her compeer and she, whose name was Surúr,[[287]] tossed it off and taking in hand her lute, sang these couplets:—
“How is’t with heart of me all cares waylay ✿ As drowned in surging, tears of Deluge-day?
I weep for Time endured not to us twain ✿ As though Time’s honour did not oft betray.
O my lord Yúsuf, O my ending hope, ✿ By Him who made thee lone on Beauty’s way,
I dread lest glorious days us twain depart ✿ And youth’s bright world be dimmed to old and grey;
O Lord! be Parting’s palm for us undyed[[288]] ✿ Ere death, nor carry this my lord away.”
When the eighth handmaiden had ended her song, the twain marvelled at her eloquence and were like to rend that was upon them of raiment——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Seven Hundred and Fifth Night,