271
cheer.’ So saying, she went away, whilst I took comfort at what she said and arose in the morning well, to the great satisfaction of my people. By-and-by the old woman came in, chopfallen, and said to me, ‘O my son, do not ask how I have fared with her! When I opened the subject to her, she said to me, “An thou leave not this talk, pestilent hag that thou art, I will assuredly use thee as thou deserves!” But needs must I have at her again.’ When I heard this, it added sickness to my sickness: but after some days, the old woman came again and said to me, ‘O my son, I must have of thee a present for good news.’ With this, life returned to me, and I said, ‘Whatever thou wilt is thine.’ Then said she, ‘O my son, I went yesterday to the young lady, who seeing me broken-spirited and tearful-eyed, said to me, “O my aunt, what ails thee that I see thy heart thus straitened?” Whereupon I wept and replied, “O my lady, I am just come from a youth who loves thee and is like to die for thy sake.” Quoth she (and indeed her heart was moved to pity), “And who is this youth of whom thou speakest?” “He is my son,” answered I, “and the darling of my heart. He saw thee, some days since, at the window, tending thy flowers, and fell madly in love with thee. I told him what passed between thee and me the other day, whereupon his disorder increased and he took to his bed and will surely die.” At this her colour changed and she said, “Is all this on my account?” “Yea, by Allah!” answered I. “What wouldst thou have me do?” Then said she, “Go back to him and salute him for me and tell him that my sufferings are twice as great as his. And on Friday, before the time of prayer, let him come hither and I will come down and open the door to him. Then I will carry him to my chamber, where we can converse awhile and he can go away, before my father comes back from the mosque.”’ When I heard this, my
