Pagina 426 de 1116

Here now we commit to thee the keys of the palace which

containeth forty chambers and thou mayest open of these thirty

and nine, but beware (and we conjure thee by Allah and by the

lives of us!) lest thou open the fortieth door, for therein is

that which shall separate us for ever."[FN#292] Quoth I,

"Assuredly I will not open it, if it contain the cause of

severance from you." Then one among them came up to me and

falling on my neck wept and recited these verses.-

"If Time unite us after absent while, * The world harsh frowning

on our lot shall smile And if thy semblance deign adorn mine

eyes,[FN#293] * I'll pardon Time past wrongs and by gone guile."

And I recited the following:-

"When drew she near to bid adieu with heart unstrung, * While

care and longing on that day her bosom wrung Wet pearls she wept

and mine like red carnelians rolled * And, joined in sad riviere,

around her neck they hung."