第14章

blood their laws allow；

That naught can love-sicks do but lavish soul，* And stake in love-play life on single throw：[62]

I cry in longing ardour for my love： * Lover can only weep and wail Love-lowe.'

When the sun rose he opened the door，went forth of the chamber and mounted to the stead where he was before： then he sat down facing the pavilion and awaited the return of the birds till nightfall；but they returned not；wherefore he wept till he fell to the ground in a fainting-fit.When he came to after his swoon；he dragged himself down the stairs to his chamber；and indeed；the darkness was come and straitened upon him was the whole world and he ceased not to weep and wail himself through the livelong night，till the day broke and the sun rained over hill and dale its rays serene.He ate not nor drank nor slept，nor was there any rest for him；but by day he was distracted and by night distressed，with sleeplessness delirious and drunken with melancholy thought and excess of love-longing.And he repeated the verses of the love-distraught poet；'O thou who shamest sun in morning sheen * The branch confounding，yet with nescience blest；

Would Heaven I wot an Time shall bring return * And quench the fires which flame unmanifest，--

Bring us together in a close embrace，* Thy cheek upon my cheek；thy breast abreast！

Who saith，In Love dwells sweetness？ when in Love * Are bitterer days than Alo‰s[63] bitterest.'

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-eighty Night； She pursued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Hasan the goldsmith felt love redouble upon him，he recited those lines；and，as he abode thus in the stress of his love-distraction，alone and finding none to cheer him with company，behold，there arose a dust-cloud from the desert；wherefore he ran down and hid himself knowing that the Princesses who owned the castle had returned.Before long，the troops halted and dismounted round the palace and the seven damsels alighted and entering，put off their arms and armour of war.As for the youngest，she stayed not to doff her weapons and gear；but went straight to Hasan's chamber，where finding him not，she sought for him，till she lighted on him in one of the sleeping closets hidden，feeble and thin，with shrunken body and wasted bones and indeed his colour was changed and his eyes sunken in his face for lack of food and drink and for much weeping，by reason of his love and longing for the young lady.When she saw him in this plight，she was confounded and lost her wits；but presently she questioned him of his case and what had befallen him，saying，'Tell me what aileth thee，O my brother，that I may contrive to do away thine affliction，and I will be thy ransom！'[64] Whereupon he wept with sore weeping and by way of reply he began reciting；'Lover，when parted from the thing he loves，* Has naught save weary woe and bane to bear.

Inside is sickness，outside living lowe，* His first is fancy and his last despair.'

When his sister heard this，she marvelled at his eloquence and loquent speech and his readiness at answering her in verse and said to him，'O my brother，when didst thou fall into this thy case and what hath betided thee，that I find thee speaking in song and shedding tears that throng？ Allah upon thee，O my brother，and by the honest love which is between us，tell me what aileth thee and discover to me thy secret，nor conceal from me aught of that which hath befallen thee in our absence；for my breast is straitened and my life is troubled because of thee.'

He sighed and railed tears like rain，after which he said，'I fear，O my sister，if I tell thee，that thou wilt not aid me to win my wish but wilt leave me to die wretchedly in mine anguish.'

She replied，'No，by Allah，O my brother，I will not abandon thee，though it cost me my life！' So he told her all that had befallen him，and that the cause of his distress and affliction was the passion he had conceived for the young lady whom he had seen when he opened the forbidden door；and how he had not tasted meat nor drink for ten days past.Then he wept with sore weeping and recited these couplets；'Restore my heart as'twas within my breast，* Let mine eyes sleep again，then fly fro' me.

Deem ye the nights have had the might to change * Love's vow？

Who changeth may he never be！'

His sister wept for his weeping and was moved to ruth for his case and pitied his strangerhood；so she said to him，'O my brother，be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear，for I will venture being and risk existence to content thee and devise thee a device wherewith，though it cost me my dear life and all I hold dear，thou mayst get possession of her and accomplish thy desire，if such be the will of Allah Almighty.