Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan foregathered with the Princesses, he related to his sister all that he had endured and said to her, “Never will I forget what thou hast done for me from incept to conclusion.” Then she turned to his wife Manar al-Sana and embraced her and pressed her children to her breast, saying to her, “O daughter of the Supreme King, was there no pity in thy bosom, that thou partedst him and his children and settedst his heart on fire for them? Say me, didst thou desire by this deed that he should die?” The Princess laughed and answered, “Thus was it ordained of Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and whoso beguileth folk, him shall Allah beguile.”[182] Then they set on somewhat of meat and drink, and they all ate and drank and made merry. They abode thus ten days in feast and festival, mirth and merrymaking, at the end of which time Hasan prepared to continue his journey. So his sister rose and made him ready riches and rarities, such as defy description. Then she strained him to her bosom, because of leave-taking, and threw her arms round his neck whilst he recited on her account these couplets:—
The solace of lovers is naught but far, ✿ And parting is naught save grief singular: And ill-will and absence are naught but woe, ✿ And the victims of Love naught but martyrs are; And how tedious is night to the loving wight ✿ From his true love parted ’neath evening star! His tears course over his cheeks and so ✿ He cries, “O tears be there more to flow?”
With this Hasan gave the rod to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, who joyed therein with exceeding joy and thanking him and securing it mounted and returned to his own place. Then Hasan took horse with his wife and children and departed from the Palace of the Princesses, who went forth[183] with him, to farewell him. Then they turned back and Hasan fared on, over wild and wold, two months and ten days, till he came to the city of Baghdad, the House of Peace, and repairing to his home by the private postern which gave upon the open country, knocked at the door. Now his mother, for long absence, had forsworn sleep and given herself to mourning and weeping and wailing, till she fell sick and ate no meat, neither took delight in slumber but shed tears night and day. She ceased not to call upon her son’s name albeit she despaired of his returning to her; and as he stood at the door, he heard her weeping and reciting these couplets:—