Pagina 220 de 1116

Know then, O my lord, that whilome my sire was King of this city,

and his name was Mahmud, entitled Lord of the Black Islands, and

owner of what are now these four mountains. He ruled three score

and ten years, after which he went to the mercy of the Lord and I

reigned as Sultan in his stead. I took to wife my cousin, the

daughter of my paternal uncle,[FN#117] and she loved me with such

abounding love that whenever I was absent she ate not and she

drank not until she saw me again. She cohabited with me for five

years till a certain day when she went forth to the Hammam bath;

and I bade the cook hasten to get ready all requisites for our

supper. And I entered this palace and lay down on the bed where I

was wont to sleep and bade two damsels to fan my face, one

sitting by my head and the other at my feet. But I was troubled

and made restless by my wife's absence and could not sleep; for

although my eyes were closed my mind and thoughts were wide

awake.