“And what shall, O Shaykh, to us fall forthright? ✿ Quoth he, ‘Sore marvels shall meet your sight’: No heart have I to describe it you”. ✿ Then approached Habib the same tutor-wight; And clasping the youth to the breast of him, ✿ Kissed his cheek a-shrieking the shrillest shright.[389]
Whereupon all about them were perturbed and were amated and amazed at the action of the Shaykh when, vanishing from their view, he could nowhere be seen. Then the Emir Salamah addressed the lieges saying, “Ho ye Arabs, who wotteth what presently shall betide my son? would Heaven I had one to advise him!” Hereupon said his Elders and Councillors, “We know of none.” But the Sultan Habib brooded over the disappearance of his governor and bespake his sire weeping bitter tears the while, “O my father, where be he who brought me up and enformed me with all manner knowledge?” and the Emir replied, “O my son, one day of the days he farewelled us and crying out with a loud cry evanished from our view and we have seen him no more.” Thereupon the youth improvised and said:—
“Indeed I am scourged by those ills whereof I felt affray, ah! ✿ By parting and thoughts which oft compelled my soul to say, ‘Ah!’ Oh saddest regret in vitals of me that ne’er ceaseth, nor ✿ Shall minished be his love that still on my heart doth prey, ah! Where hath hied the generous soul my mind with lere adorned? ✿ And alas! what hath happened, O sire, to me, and well-away, ah!”
Hereat the Emir Salamah shed tears (as on like wise did all present) and quoth he to his son, “O Habib, we have been troubled by his action,” and quoth the youth, “How shall I endure severance from one who fostered me and brought me to honour and renown and who raised my degree so high?” Then began he to improvise saying:—
“Indeed this pine in my heart grows high, ✿ And in eyeballs wake doth my sleep outvie: You marched, O my lords, and from me hied far ✿ And you left a lover shall aye outcry: I wot not where on this earth you be ✿ And how long this patience when none is nigh: Ye fared and my eyeballs your absence weep, ✿ And my frame is meagre, my heart is dry.”