The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-24
IX.-POrneqranite Flower

each year. save that thou art more
dignifled and noble. Enter into this
private apartment with me. for it is
important that no one shall see thee"
Much surprised at his words. 7 fol-
lowed him to an elegant apartment
| above the shop. and there he ordered
the servants to roast a lamb and to
bring Us fruit and wine; and while we
! thus pleasantly employed ourselves, he
unfolded to me his case.
Know, o my brother, that I have
accumulated great wealth; and this I
have done by observing those wise pre-
cepts of conduct laid down by thee.
| BY the charm OF my speech, which I |
have fashioned upon thine, and the ele- !
gance Of my manner, in which have.
though poorly, initiated thine own, and |
by the dignity and the modesty of my |
conduct, I have endeared all hearts and
| am esteemed above all the other mer- !
chants in Cairo. vi
'It is necessary that I repair to |
Damascus, and during my absence I
wish nothing better than that thou
| shouldst take my place here. This viii !
| be favorable to both of US; for I will
reward thy services with five hundred
piastres and an interest in my affairs.
and thou wilt pass for meg for all will
say, LOT Ahzab the Merchant wakes
more handsome each day such is the
benign influence of righteous prosperity
land conscious rectitude.' My affairs
stand thus and thus, and my steward,
who will be in our condolences, will
acQuaint thee with all matters neces-
sary. Thou wilt wear my costly gar
n1ents, and sit in my shop. Each eve
ming thou wilt secretly repair to thine
own abode
Upon hearing those words, my bosom
swelled with joy; for I observed that
Ahzab had not failed to perceive my
| exalted qualities. We sat far into the
night in conversation respecting our
| plans; and on the following day, Ahzab
: having departed secretly for Damascus.
I repaired to his shop. as arranged.
and took my seat there.
} By the number of the persons who
! saluted me. and by the manner of their
: speech, I perceived, more and more,
> the great prosperity Of my brother;
and being of thoughtful mind. I
4 passed the days very pleasantly In con-
: temptation of my good fortune.
!, Upon the fourth day after the de-
y parture Of my brother. as 1 sat in his
= shop, there came past damsel accom-
I panied by female attendants. This
81 damsel was riding upon a mule with a
a richly embroidered saddle, with stir
: rups Of gold, and she was covered with
an LSdr exquisite fabric; and about her
e slender waist was a Eirdle Of gold-e EN-
- broidered silk. / was stricken speech
h less with the beauty and elegance of
y her form; and when she alighted and
/, came into the shop, the oders of sweet
Q perfumes were diffused from her, and
she capttvated my reason by her lowell
4 ness.
Seating herself beside me, she raised
5 her kzar. and 1 beheld her black eyes.
4 And they surpassed in beauty the eyes
= of all human beings, and were like
the eyes Of the gazelle. She had a
Is mouth like the Seal OF Suleyman, and
y hair blacker than the night of afric-
: ton; a forehead like the new moon Of
II Ramadan, and cheeks like anemones
h with lips fresher than rose petals, teeth
a like pearls from the sea of distraction
and neck SURPRISING in whiteness
d molten silver, above form that put to
shame the willow branch.
is She spoke to me, saying:
= 20 Ahzab! I have returned as ]
IL promised theei"
. At the sound of her voice, by Allah
(whose name be exalted!) I was en-.
" tangled in the snare of her love; fr,
le was burning up my heart on her &C
n count; consuming flame increase,
ID within my bosom. and my reason wa
oy drowned in the sea of my desire.
in Perceiving my state. she quicll,
lowered her' veil in pretended dis
"a pleasure. and desired to look at som
Mt pieces Of silk. While she thus EN-
Ks ployed herself, she surpassed tn
e branches in the beauty Of her bending
g. motions, and my eyes could not re
as move themselves from her. thus com
ms muned with myself:
d. 20 Es-Sarnit, thou didst contract witt
is thy brother to do this and that, and t
ad render unto him a proper account o
ch thy dealings. But though he hat
o made thee no mention Of his affair wit
this damsel-it is important that tho
nd conducteth this matter as he woul
tie have done, so that he cannot reproac
ms thee with negligence" For-I was eve
&c a Just as well as a discreet and siIen
Of man.
Of Accordingly spoke as follows:
I 20 my mistress, who art the mos
til lovely person God has created, rem
b. not my heart with thy displeasure, bu
ur take pity upon me. Know that Low
TO Is difficult. and the concealment Of
TO melteth iron and occasioneth diseas
and infirmity. Thou hast returned g
Mt, thou didst promise; therefore I conjur
os- thee, conceal not thy face from tn
til slavel"
The dansei thereupon raised her hea
3D. and put aside her veil. casting a glanc
Ip- upon me and looked sideways at II
rts attendants, and placed one finger upo
ng her lips; SO that knew her TO be 6
an discreet as she was lovely. She laughe
in my face, and said:
ON Il will take this piece of embroidere
lab silk that I have chosen. What is II
en- price?"
or And I answered:
"One hundred piasters; but I prs
lis thee let it be thine. and gift fro
be Ahzab!"
the Upon this. she looked into my ey'
OF and the sight OF her face drew from n
A.