第63章

So when she learnt that he was gone hunting and fishing，she bade her women furnish the Palace fairly and decorate it splendidly and serve up viands and confections；and amongst the rest she made a China dish of the daintiest sweetmeats that can be made wherein she had put Bhang.Then she ordered one of her eunuchs go to the damsel Kut al-Kulub and bid her to the banquet，saying；'The Lady Zubaydah bint Al-Kasim，the wife of the Commander of the Faithful，hath drunken medicine to-day and，having heard tell of the sweetness of thy singing，longeth to divert herself somewhat of thine art.'Kut al-Kulub replied，'Hearing and obedience are due to Allah and the Lady Zubaydah，'and rose without stay or delay，unknowing what was hidden for her in the Secret Purpose.Then she took with her what instruments she needed and，accompanying the eunuch，ceased not fairing till she stood in the presence of the Princess.When she entered she kissed ground before her again and again，then rising to her feet，said，'Peace be on the Lady of the exalted house Abbasi and scion of the Prophet's family！ May Allah fulfil thee of peace and prosperity in the days and the years！'[230] Then she stood with the rest of the women and eunuchs，and presently the Lady Zubaydah raised her eyes and considered her beauty and loveliness.She saw a damsel with cheeks smooth as rose and breasts like granado，a face moon-bright，a brow flower-white and great eyes black as night；her eyelids were langour-dight and her face beamed with light，as if the sun from her forehead arose and the murks of the night from the locks of her brow；and the fragrance of musk from her breath strayed and flowers bloomed in her lovely face inlaid；the moon beamed from her forehead and in her slender shape the branches swayed.She was like the full moon shining in the nightly shade；her eyes wantoned，her eyebrows were like a bow arched and her lips of coral moulded.

Her beauty amazed all who espied her and her glances amated all who eyed her.Glory be to Him who formed her and fashioned her and perfected her！ Brief，she was even as saith the poet of one who favoured her；'When she's incensed thou seest folk like slain，* And when she's pleased，their souls are quick again：

Her eyne are armed with glances magical * Wherewith she kills and quickens as she's fain.

The Worlds she leadeth captive with her eyes * As tho'the Worlds were all her slavish train.'

Quoth the Lady Zubaydah，'Well come，and welcome and fair cheer to thee，O Kut al-Kulub！ Sit and divert us with thine art and the goodliness of thine accomplishments.'Quoth the damsel，'I hear and I obey'；and，putting out her hand，took the tambourine；whereof one of its praisers speaketh in the following verses；'Ho thou o'the tabret，my heart takes flight * And love-smit cries while thy fingers smite！

Thou takest naught but a wounded heart，* The while for acceptance longs the wight：

So say thou word or heavy or light；* Play whate'er thou please it will charm the sprite.

Sois bonne，unveil thy cheek，ma belle * Rise，deftly dance and all hearts delight.'

Then she smote the tambourine briskly and so sang thereto，that she stopped the birds in the sky and the place danced with them blithely；after which she laid down the tambourine and took the pipe [231] whereof it is said；'She hath eyes whose babes wi'their fingers sign * To sweet tunes without a discordant line.'

And as the poet also said in this couplet；'And，when she announceth the will to sing，* For Union-joy'tis a time divine！'

Then she laid down the pipe，after she had charmed therewith all who were present，and took up the lute，whereof saith the poet；'How many a blooming bough in the glee-girl's hand is fain * as lute to'witch great souls by charm of cunning strain！

She sweeps tormenting lute strings by her artful touch * Wi'finger-tips that surely chain with endless chain.'

Then she tightened its pegs and tuned its strings and laying it in her lap，bended over it as mother bendeth over child；and it seemed as it were of her and her lute that the poet spoke in these couplets；'Sweetly discourses she on Persian string * And Unintelligence makes understand.

And teaches she that Love's a murtherer，* Who oft the reasoning Moslem hath unmann'd.

A maid，by Allah，in whose palm a thing * Of painted wood like mouth can speech command.

With lute she stauncheth flow of Love；and so * Stops flow of blood the cunning leach's hand.'

Then she preluded in fourteen different modes and sang to the lute an entire piece，so as to confound the gazers and delight her hearers.After which she recited these two couplets；'The coming unto thee is blest： * Therein new joys for aye attend：

Its blisses are continuous * Its blessings never end.'

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