Страница 863 из 1116

Then she says to me, 'O my lord, Allah upon thee, do not refuse

to take the cup from the hand of thine hand maid, for verily I am

thy bondswoman.' But I do not speak to her and she presses me,

saying, 'There is no help but that thou drink it;' and she puts

it to my lips. Then I shake my fist in her face and kick her with

my foot thus." So he let out with his toe and knocked over the

tray of glass ware which fell to the ground and, falling from the

bench, all that was on it was broken to bits. 'O foulest of

pimps,[FN#669] this comes from the pride of my spirit'" cried my

brother; and then, O Commander of the Faithful, he buffeted his

face and rent his garments and kept on weeping and beating

himself. The folk who were flocking to their Friday prayers saw

him; and some of them looked at him and pitied him, whilst others

paid no heed to him, and in this way my brother lost both capital

and profit.