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us from the jar and abide thou sitting with me, that I may take comfort in thee.” “O my lady,” answered he, “none knoweth the place of the jar save myself; but I will not keep thee waiting.”[1] So saying, he went out and returned after a little with their sufficiency of wine; and the Lady Bedrulbudour said to him, “Thou hast been at pains[2] [for me], and I have put thee to unease,[3] O my beloved.” “Nay,” answered he, “O [thou that art dear to me as] mine eyes, I am honoured by thy service.” Then she sat down with him at table and they both fell to eating. Presently, the princess called for drink and the handmaid immediately filled her the cup; then she filled for the Maugrabin and the Lady Bedrulbudour proceeded to drink to his life and health,[4] and he also drank to her life and she fell to carousing[5] with him. Now she was unique in eloquence and sweetness of speech and she proceeded to beguile him and bespeak him with words significant[6] and sweet, so she
- ↑ Lit. “I will not delay upon thee.”
- ↑ Lit. “Thou hast burdened or incommoded thyself” (kellefta khatiraka), see previous note, p. 120, on this idiomatic expression.
- ↑ Ana atebtu mizajaka, lit. “I have wearied thy temperament.”
- ↑ Lit. “pleasure” (surr), see ante, p. 223, note 2.
- ↑ Or “playing the boon-companion.”
- ↑ Syn. “equivocal, à double entente.”
