Pagina 422 de 1116

At last they brought out a fine wine service with rich old wine;

and we sat down to drink and some sang songs and others played

the lute and psaltery and recorders and other instruments, and

the bowl went merrily round. Hereupon such gladness possessed me

that I forgot the sorrows of the world one and all and said,

"This is indeed life; O sad that 'tis fleeting!" I enjoyed their

company till the time came for rest; and our heads were all warm

with wine, when they said, "O our lord, choose from amongst us

her who shall be thy bed-fellow this night and not lie with thee

again till forty days be past." So I chose a girl fair of face

and perfect in shape, with eyes Kohl-edged by nature's

hand;[FN#289] hair long and jet black with slightly parted

teeth[FN#290] and joining brows: 'twas as if she were some limber

graceful branchlet or the slender stalk of sweet basil to amaze

and to bewilder man's fancy, even as the poet said of such an

one-