Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 2.djvu/307

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272

The heart in them studies the chapter of worship unshared sheer; No proofs of more gods to worship than one it readeth here.
No wonder it is they tremble by reason of their weight; How much is there not of motion in that revolving sphere!

And also these:

Two fair ones walking on the earth mine eyes did late espy; Two that I needs must love although they walked upon mine eye.

When they heard this, they begged him to enter the bath with them a second time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening thither, went in with them. The Vizier had not yet left the bath; so when he heard of the overseer’s coming, he came out and meeting him in the outer room of the bath, invited him to enter. He refused, but Taj el Mulouk took him by one hand and Aziz by the other and carried him into a cabinet, the impure old man submitting to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. Then Taj el Mulouk swore that none but he should wash him and Aziz that none but he should pour water on him. He would have refused, albeit this was what he desired; but the Vizier said to him, ‘They are thy sons; let them wash thee and bathe thee.’ ‘God preserve them to thee!’ exclaimed the overseer. ‘By Allah, thy coming and theirs hath brought blessing and fortune upon our city!’ and he repeated the following verses:

Thou cam’st, and the mountains about us grew green And glittered, with flowers for the bridegroom beseen;
Whilst earth and her creatures cried, ‘Welcome to thee, Thrice welcome, that comest in glory and sheen!’

They thanked him for this, and Taj el Mulouk proceeded to wash him, whilst Aziz poured water over him and he thought himself in Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he called down blessings on them and sat talking with the Vizier, gazing the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them towels, and they dried themselves and donned their clothes. Then they went