Haply shall Allah deign us twain unite ✿ And lockt in strict embrace we’ll hail the light: And wonders that befel me I’ll recount, ✿ And all I suffered from the Severance-blight; And fain I’ll cure mine eyes by viewing you ✿ For ever yearned my heart to see your sight: I hid a tale for you my heart within ✿ Which when we meet o’ morn I’ll fain recite: I’ll blame you for the deeds by you were done ✿ But while blame endeth love shall stay in site.
Hardly had he made an end of these verses, when he looked and behold, there rose to view the Green Dome[179] and the Jetting Fount and the Emerald Palace, and the Mountain of Clouds showed to them from afar; whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, “Rejoice, O Hasan, in good tidings: to-night shalt thou be the guest of my nieces!” At this he joyed with exceeding joy and as also did his wife, and they alighted at the domed pavilion, where they took their rest[180] and ate and drank; after which they mounted horse again and rode on till they came upon the palace. As they drew near, the Princesses who were daughters of the King, brother to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, came forth to meet them and saluted them and their uncle who said to them, “O daughters of my brother, behold, I have accomplished the need of this your brother Hasan and have helped him to regain his wife and children.” So they embraced him and gave him joy of his return in safety and health and of his reunion with his wife and children, and it was a day of festival[181] with them. Then came forward Hasan’s sister, the youngest Princess, and embraced him, weeping with sore weeping, whilst he also wept for his long desolation: after which she complained to him of that which she had suffered for the pangs of separation and weariness of spirit in his absence and recited these two couplets:—
After thy faring never chanced I’spy ✿ A shape, but did thy form therein descry: Nor closed mine eyes in sleep but thee I saw, ✿ E’en as though dwelling ’twixt the lid and eye.
When she had made an end of her verses, she rejoiced with joy exceeding and Hasan said to her, “O my sister, I thank none in this matter save thyself over all thy sisters, and may Allah Almighty vouchsafe thee aidance and countenance!” Then he related to her all that had past in his journey, from first to last, and all that he had undergone, telling her what had betided him with his wife’s sister and how he had delivered his wife and wees and he also described to her all that he had seen of marvels and grievous perils, even to how Queen Nur al-Huda would have slain him and his spouse and children and none saved them from her but the Lord the Most High. Moreover, he related to her the adventure of the cap and the rod and how Abd al-Kaddus and Abu al-Ruwaysh had asked for them and he had not agreed to give them to the twain save for her sake; wherefore she thanked him and blessed him wishing him long life; and he cried, “By Allah, I shall never forget all the kindness thou hast done me from incept to conclusion.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.