第46章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(8)

She was clad in a shift of Venetian silk，without drawers，and wore on her head a kerchief embroidered with gold and jewels；her ears were hung with earrings，that shone like stars，and round her neck was a collar of great pearls，past the competence of any king.When he saw this，his reason was confounded and natural heat began to stir in him；God awoke in him the desire of coition and he said，What God wills，shall be，and what He will not，shall not be！'So saying，he put out his hand and turning her over，loosed the collar of her shift，laying bare her bosom，with its breasts like globes of ivory；whereat his inclination for her redoubled and he desired her with an exceeding desire.Then he shook her and moved her，essaying to waken her and saying，O my beloved，awake and look on me；I am Kemerezzeman.'But she awoke not，neither moved her head，for Dehnesh made her sleep heavy.

With this，he considered awhile and said to himself，If I guess aright，this is she to whom my father would have married me and I have refused these three years past；but，God willing，as soon as it is day，I will say to him，'Marry me to her that I may enjoy her，'nor will I let half the day pass ere I possess her and take my fill of her beauty and grace.'Then he bent over Budour，to kiss her，whereat Maimouneh trembled and was confounded and Dehnesh was like to fly for joy.But，as Kemerezzeman was about to kiss her，he was ashamed before God and turned away his head，saying to his heart，Have patience.'Then he considered awhile and said，I will be patient，lest my father have brought this young lady and made her lie by my side，to try me with her，charging her not to be lightly awakened，whenas I would fain arouse her，and bidding her tell him all that I do to her.

Belike，he is hidden somewhere whence he can see all I do with this young lady，himself unseen；and to-morrow he will flout me and say，'How comes it that thou feignest to have no mind to marry and yet didst kiss and clip yonder damsel？'So I will forbear her，lest I be shamed before my father；and it were well that I look not on her nor touch her at this present，except to take from her somewhat to serve as a sign of remembrance and a token between us.'Then he lifted her hand and took from her little finger a ring worth much money，for that its beazel was of precious jewels and around it were graven the following verses：

Think not that I have forgotten thy sometime promises，Though long thou hast protracted thy cruelty，ywis.

Be generous，O my master，vouchsafe me of thy grace，So it to me be given thy lips and cheeks to kiss.

Never，by Allah，never will I abandon thee，Though thou transgress thy limits in love and go amiss！

Then he put the ring on his own little finger，and turning his back to her，went to sleep.When Maimouneh saw this，she was glad and said，Saw ye how my beloved Kemerezzeman forbore this young lady？Verily，this was of the perfection of his excellences；for see how he looked on her and noted her beauty and grace，yet clipped her not neither kissed her nor put his hand to her，but turned his back to her and slept.'It is well，'answered they；we saw how perfectly he bore himself.'

Then Maimouneh changed herself into a flea and entering Budours clothes，crept up her leg and bit her four finger-breadths below the navel；whereupon she opened her eyes and sitting up in bed，saw a youth lying beside her and breathing heavily in his sleep，the loveliest of Gods creatures，with eyes that put to shame the fair maids of Paradise，mouth like Solomons seal，whose water was sweeter to the taste and more efficacious than triacle，[30] lips the colour of coral and cheeks like blood-red anemones，even as saith one，describing him：

From Zeyneb[31] and Newar[32] my mind is drawn away By the rose of a cheek，whereoer a whiskers myrtles stray.

Im fallen in love with a fawn，a youngling tunic-clad，And joy no more in love of bracelet-wearing may.

My mate in banquet-hall and closets all unlike To her with whom within my harems close I play：

O thou that blames me，because I flee from Hind[33] And Zeyneb，my excuse is clear as break of day.

Wouldst have me be a slave，the bondsman of a slave，One cloistered and confined behind a wall alway？[34]

When the princess saw him，a transport of passion and longing seized her and she said to herself，Alas my shame！This is a strange youth and I know him not.How comes he lying in one bed with me？Then she looked at him again and noting his beauty and grace，said，By Allah，he is a comely youth and my heart is well-nigh torn in sunder with longing for him.But alas，how am I shamed by him！By Allah，had I known it was he who sought my hand of my father，I had not rejected him，but had married him and enjoyed his loveliness！'Then she gazed in his face and said，O my lord and light of mine eyes，awake from sleep and enjoy my beauty and grace.'And she moved him with her hand；but Maimouneh let down sleep upon him （as it were a curtain） and pressed on his head with her wings，so that he awoke not.The princess went on to shake him and say，My life on thee，give ear unto me！Awake and look on the narcissus and the tender green and enjoy my body and my secret charms and dally with me and touzle me from now till break of day！I conjure thee by Allah，O my lord，sit up and lean against the pillow and sleep not！'

Still he made her no answer，but breathed heavily in his sleep.