I am not lost to prudence, but indeed ✿ Here I'm bewildered, what shall be my rede? Would any aid me in mine ails of love, ✿ By my own might and sleight would I be free'd: But ah! my heart is lost and passion-shent: ✿ To none save Allah can I trust my need!
When he ended his verse behold, there came up to him a rare show and a fair, more than twenty maidens like crescents encompassing the young lady, who shone in their midst as the full moon among the constellations guarding and girding her. She was clad in brocades befitting Kings; her breasts were like twin pomegranates, a woven zone set with all kinds of jewels tightly clasped her waist which expanded below into jutting hips; and her hinder cheeks stood out as a mound of crystal[185] supporting a silvern shaft. When Sharrkan looked at her his wits went nigh to fly away from him with delight; and he forgot army and Wazir as he gazed on her fair head decked and dight with a net-work of pearls set off by divers sorts of gems. Handmaids on her right and handmaids on her left bore her train, as she paced with dainty graceful gait in all the pride of seemlihead. He sprang to his feet seeing such beauty and loveliness, and cried aloud, "Beware and beware of that zone rarely fair!" and broke out into these couplets:—
With heavy back-parts, high breasts delicate, ✿ And lissome form that sways with swimming gait, She deftly hides love-longing in her breast; ✿ But I may never hide its ban and bate: While hosts of followers her steps precede,[186] ✿ Like pearls now necklaced and now separate.
She gazed upon him for a long time and considered him till she was assured of him, when she came up to him and said, "In very sooth the place is honoured and illumined by thee, O Sharrkan! How sped thy night, O hero, after we went away and left thee?"; adding, "Verily lying is a vile thing and a shameful, especially in great Kings! and thou art Crown-Prince Sharrkan, son and heir of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman; so henceforth make no secret of thy rank and condition, nor let me hear aught from thee but the truth; for leasing bequeatheth hate and despite. And as thou art pierced by the shaft of Fate, be resignation thine and abide content to wait." When he heard her words he saw that artifice availed him naught and he acknowledged the truth, saying, "I am Sharrkan, bin Omar bin al-Nu'uman, whom fortune hath afflicted, and cast into this place; so whatso thou willest, do it in my case!" She hung her head groundwards a long while, then turned to him and said, "Be of good cheer and let thine eyes be cool and clear;[187] for thou art the guest of my hospitality, and bread-and-salt hath made a tie between me and thee; wherefore thou art in my ward and under my safeguard. Have no fear for, by the truth of the Messiah, if all on earth sought to do thee hurt they should not come at thee, till life had left my body for thy sake: indeed thou art now under the charge of the Messiah and of me." Hereat she sat her down by his side and fell to playing with him, till his alarm subsided and he knew that had she desired to slay him, she would have done so during the past night. Presently she bespoke in the Grecian tongue one of her slave-girls, who went away and soon came back bringing a beaker and a tray of food; but Sharrkan abstained from eating and said to himself, "Haply she hath put somewhat in this meat." She knew what was in his thought; so she turned to him and said, "By the truth of the Messiah, the case is not on such wise, nor is there aught in this meat of what thou suspectest! Had my mind been set on slaying thee, I had slain thee ere now." Then she walked up to the tray and ate of every dish a mouthful; whereupon Sharrkan came forward and ate too. She was pleased at this and both ate till they were satisfied. They washed their hands and after that she rose and ordered a handmaid to bring perfumes and herbs of sweet savour, wines of all colours and kinds and a wine-service with vessels of gold, silver and crystal. She filled a first goblet and drank it off before offering it to him, even as she had done with the food: then she downed a second and handed it to him. He drank and she said to him, "O Moslem, see how thou art here in all solace and delight of life!" And she ceased not to drink and ply him with drink, till he took leave of his wits,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased saying her permitted say.