第82章

For one strange of lineage whose kin repel * Thou shalt wake ill-famed，of friends dispossest：

I'm a Zealot's child and affright the folk： * Would my life were ended and I at rest！'

Then Masrur answered her improvisation and began to say these lines；'To grief leave a heart that to love ne'er ceased；* Nor blame；for your blame ever love increased：

You misrule my vitals in tyrant-guise；* Morn and Eve I wend not or West or East；

Love's law forbids me to do me die；* They say Love's victim is ne'er released：

Well-away！ Could I find in Love's Court a judge * I'd'plain and win to my rights at least.'

They ceased not from mutual chiding till morning morrowed，when Zayn al-Mawasif said，'O Masrur'tis time for thee to depart；lest one of the folk see thee and foul befal us twain.'So he arose and accompanied by nurse Hubub fared on，till they came to his lodging，where he talked with her and said to her，'All thou seekest of me is ready for thee，so but thou wilt bring me to enjoy her.'Hubub replied，'Hearten thy heart；'whereupon he rose and gave her an hundred dinars，saying'O Hubub，I have by me a dress worth an hundred gold pieces.'Answered she，'O Masrur；make haste with the trinkets and other things promised her，ere she change her mind，for we may not take her，save with wile and guile，and she loveth the saying of verse.'Quoth he，'Hearing and obeying，'and bringing her the musk and ambergris and lign-aloes and rosewater，returned with her to Zayn al-Mawasif and saluted her.She returned his salam with the sweetest speech；and he was dazed by her beauty and improvised these lines；'O thou sheeniest Sun who in night dost shine！ * O who stole my soul with those large black eyne！

O slim-shaped fair with the graceful neck！ * O who shamest Rose wi'those checks o'thine！

Blind not our sight wi'thy fell disdain，* Disdain，that shall load us with pain and pine；

Passion homes in our inmost，nor will be quenched * The fire of yearning in vitals li'en：

Your love has hous？d in heart of me * And of issue but you see I ne'er a sign：

Then haply you'll pity this hapless wight * Thy sad lover and then--O the Morn divine！'

When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses，she cast at him a glance of eyes，that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and sighs and his wits and soul were ravished in such wise，and answered him with these couplets[321]；'Think not from her，of whom thou art enamoured aye * To win delight；so put desire from thee away.

Leave that thou hop'st，for'gainst her rigours whom thou lov'st * Among the fair，in vain is all thou canst essay.

My looks to lovers bring discomfiture and woe： Indeed，* I make no count of that which thou dost say.'

When Masrur heard this，he hardened his heart and took patience；concealing his case and saying in himself，'There is nothing for it against calamity save longsuffering；'and after this fashion they abode till nightfall when Zayn al-Mawasif called for food and they set before her a tray wherein were all manner of dishes；quails and pigeons and mutton and so forth，whereof they ate their sufficiency.Then she bade take away the tables and they did so and fetched the lavatory gear；and they washed their hands，after which she ordered her women to bring the candlesticks，and they set on candelabra and candles therein of camphorated wax.Thereupon quoth Zayn al-Mawasif，'By Allah，my breast is straitened this night and I am afevered；'and quoth Masrur，'Allah broaden thy breast and banish thy bane！'Then she said，'O Masrur，I am used to play at chess： say me，knowest aught of the game？'He replied，'Yes；I am skilled therein；'

whereupon she commanded her handmaid Hubub fetch her the chessboard.So she went away and presently returning with the board，set it before her，and behold，it was of ivory-marquetried ebony with squares marked in glittering gold，and its pieces of pearl and ruby.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-seventh Night； She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Zayn al-Mawasif bade the chessboard be brought，they set it between her hands；and Masrur was amazed at this，when she turned to him and said，'Wilt have red or white？'He replied，'O Princess of the fair and adornment of morning air，do thou take the red for they formous are and fitter for the like of thee to bear and leave the white to my care.'Answered she，'So be it；'and；taking the red pieces，ranged them opposite the white，then put out her hand to a piece purposing the first pass into the battle-plain.Masrur considered her fingers，which were white as paste，and was confounded at their beauty and shapely shape；