"I hope for Union with my love which I may ne'er obtain * At all, but bitterness of life is all the gain I gain: My tears are likest to the main for ebb and flow of tide; * But when I meet the blamer-wight to staunch my tears I'm fain. Woe to the wretch who garred us part by spelling of his spells;[FN#559] * Could I but hend his tongue in hand I'd cut his tongue in twain: Yet will I never blame the days for whatso deed they did * Mingling with merest, purest gall the cup they made me drain! To whom shall I address myself; and whom but you shall seek * A heart left hostage in your Court, by you a captive ta'en? Who shall avenge my wrongs on you,[FN#560] tyrant despotical * Whose tyranny but grows the more, the more I dare complain? I made him regnant of my soul that he the reign assain * But me he wasted wasting too the soul I gave to reign. Ho thou, the Fawn, whom I so lief erst gathered to my breast * Enow of severance tasted I to own its might and main, Thou'rt he whose favours joined in one all beauties known to man, * Yet I thereon have wasted all my Patience' fair domain. I entertained him in my heart whereto he brought unrest * But I am satisfied that I such guest could entertain. My tears for ever flow and flood, likest the surging sea * And would I wot the track to take that I thereto attain. Yet sore I fear that I shall die in depths of my chagrin * And must despair for evermore to win the wish I'd win."
When Miriam heard the verses of Nur al-Din the loving-hearted, the parted; they kindled in her vitals a fire of desire, and while her eyes ran over with tears, she recited these two couplets,
"I longed for him I love; but, when we met, * I was amazed nor tongue nor eyes I found. I had got ready volumes of reproach; * But when we met, could syllable no sound."
When Nur al-Din heard the voice of Princess Miriam, he knew it and wept bitter tears, saying, "By Allah, this is the chanting of the Lady Miriam."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
[FN#1] Ironicè; we are safe as long as we are defended by such a brave.
[FN#2] Blue, azure. This is hardly the place for a protest, but I must not neglect the opportunity of cautioning my readers against rendering Bahr al-Azrak ("Blue River") by "Blue Nile." No Arab ever knew it by that name or thereby equalled it with the White Nile. The term was a pure invention of Abyssinian Bruce who was well aware of the unfact he was propagating, but his inordinate vanity and self-esteem, contrasting so curiously with many noble qualities, especially courage and self-reliance, tempted him to this and many other a traveller's tale.