"Payne Volume VIII" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paynes Versions)

ааааа Whenas she walks upon the earth, her fragrance wafts abroad A breeze that scents her every hill and every level space.
'O Mesrour,' said she, 'whoso keepeth his faith and hath eaten our bread and salt, it behoveth us to give him his due; so put away from thee the thought of what hath passed and I will restore thee thy lands and houses and all I have taken from thee.' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'I acquit thee of that whereof thou speakest, though thou hadst been false to the oath we swore to each other, thou and I; for I will go and become a Muslim.' (9) Then said Huboub to her, 'O my lady, thou art young of years and knowest many things, and I claim the intercession of God the Most High with thee, for, except thou do my bidding and heal my heart, I will not lie the night with thee in the house.' 'O Huboub,' replied her mistress, 'it shall be as thou wilt: so rise and make us ready another room.'
So she rose and made ready another room and adorned and perfumed it after the goodliest fashion, on such wise as her mistress loved and preferred, after which she set on fresh food and wine, and the cup went round between them and their hearts were glad. Presently quoth Zein el Mewasif to Mesrour, 'O Mesrour, the time of union and favour is come; so, as thou studiest for my love, recite us some verses, surpassing of fashion.' So he recited the following ode:
ааааа I am ta'en captive; in my heart a fire flames up amain, Over a bond of love-delight by sev'rance shorn in twain;
ааааа Ay, and for love of a fair maid, whose shape hath rent my heart, Whose cheeks so soft and delicate my reason do enchain.
ааааа Joined brows and arched and melting eyes of liquid black hath she And teeth that like the lightning flash, when she to smile doth deign.
ааааа Her years of life are ten and four; my tears, for love of her, Resemble drops of dragon's blood, as from mine eyes they rain.
ааааа 'Twixt stream and garden first mine eyes beheld her, as she sat, With face the full moon that outshone in heaven's high domain.
ааааа I stood to her, on captive wise, for awe, and said, 'The peace Of God for ever light on thee, O dweller in the fane!'
ааааа Then she, with sweet and dulcet speech, like pearls in order strung, My salutation graciously returned to me again;
ааааа And when she heard my speech to her, she knew for sure what I Desired, and therewithal her heart was hardened 'gainst her swain.
ааааа 'Is not this idle talk?' quoth she, and I made answer, 'Spare the longing lover to upbraid, who doth of love complain.'
ааааа If thou vouchsafe me thy consent this day, the thing were light; Thy like belovщd is and mine still slaves of love in vain.'
ааааа And when she knew my wish, she smiled and answered, 'By the Lord Him who created heaven and earth and all that they contain,
ааааа [I am] a Jewess, born and bred in Jewry's straitest sect And thou unto the Nazarenes as surely doth pertain.
ааааа How think'st thou to enjoy me, then, and art not of my faith? To-morrow, sure, thou wilt repent, if thou this thing obtain.
ааааа Is't lawful with two faiths to jest in love? The like of me Were blamed of all and looked upon with flouting and disdain.
ааааа Wilt thou thus mock at all belief and all religious rites And doubly guilty, this my faith and eke thine own profane?
ааааа An if thou lov'dst me, thou'dst become a Jew for love of me, And, save my favours, all to thee forbidden would remain,
ааааа And by th' Evangel thou wouldst swear a strait and binding oath To keep the secret of the love that is betwixt us twain.'
ааааа So by the Pentateuch I swear, a true and certain oath, That, in the time that's past and gone and ne'er will be again,
ааааа I swore to her upon my faith, upon my law and creed, And her unto a solemn oath on like wise did constrain.
ааааа Quoth I, 'O term of all desire, what is thy name?' And she, 'Zein el Mewasif am I called in this my own demesne.'
ааааа 'Zein el Mewasif,' then cried I, 'my entrails are enthralled For love of thee; thou hast indeed enslaved me, heart and brain.'
ааааа I saw her beauty underneath the chin-veil and became Afflicted sore at heart, distraught for love and longing pain;
ааааа Nor neath the curtain did I cease to humble me and eke Of the much passion to make moan that in my heart did reign;
ааааа Till, when she saw my plight and all the transport of my love, A smiling visage she unveiled, that did me straight assain.
ааааа The wind of amorous delight blew full on us and she Scented of musk her neck and wrists, till all the house had ta'en
ааааа Perfume from her and every place, whilst I her lips did kiss And from her sweet and smiling mouth its wine of balm did drain.
ааааа Under her robes she swayed, as sways the willow, and delight And union did permit, till then forbidden to the swain.
ааааа We lay the night together and with many a clip and kiss And sucking lips, was union perfected for us twain.
ааааа There's no adornment of the world, excepting she thou lov st Be near thee, so thou mayst of her the wished delight obtain.
ааааа Whenas day broke, she rose to say farewell, with lovely face Excelling far the moon that shines in heaven's spreading plain;
ааааа And at her leave-taking, this verse she chanted, whilst the tears Ran down her cheeks, now one by one, now linked in many a chain,
ааааа 'By the Great Oath and by the nights so fair, I'll ne'er forget The pact of Allah 'twixt us two, whilst I on life remain!'
Zein el Mewasif was charmed with these verses and said to him, 'O Mesrour, how goodly are thy parts! May he live not who would harm thee!' Then she entered a privy chamber and called him. So he went in to her and taking her in his arms, embraced her and kissed her and got of her that which he had deemed impossible and rejoiced in the attainment of the sweet of amorous delight. Then said she, 'O Mesrour, now we are become lovers, thy good is forbidden to me and is lawfully thine again.' So she restored to him all she had won of him and said to him, 'Hast thou a garden, whither we may go and take our pleasure therein?' 'Yes, O my lady,' answered he, 'I have a garden that hath not its like.'
Then he returned to his house and bade his slave-girls make ready a handsome room and provide a splendid banquet; after which he summoned Zein el Mewasif, who came with her damsels, and they ate and drank and made merry, whilst the cup passed round between them and their hearts were glad. Then the lovers withdrew to privy chamber and Zein el Mewasif said to Mesrour, 'I have bethought me of some pleasant verses, which I would fain sing to the lute.' And he answered, 'Do so.' So she took the lute and tuning it, sang the following to pleasant air:
ааааа Mirth from the smitten strings o'ercometh me and cheer; Sweet is our morning-draught, when daybreak draweth near.
ааааа Love still its bondman's heart uncovereth and in The tearing down of veils doth love-longing appear;
ааааа With wine strained bright, so pure and goodly that it seems The sun in hands of moons (10) unveiled and shining clear.
ааааа It bringeth us anights its gladness and with joy Obliterates the stains of dreariment and fear.
Then said she to him, 'O Mesrour, recite us somewhat of thy verse and favour us with the fruit of thy wit.' So he recited the following:
ааааа In a full moon we do rejoice, that carries round its wine, And in the sweet strains of the lute in gardens fair and fine,
ааааа Whose turtles in the dawning-hour sing and whose branches sway And eke their paths the uttermost of all desire enshrine.
When he had finished, she said to him, 'If thou be occupied with love of me, make us some verses on that which hath passed between us.' 'With all my heart,' answered he and recited the following ode:
ааааа Stay thou and hear what me befell For love of yonder fair gazelle
ааааа A white doe shot me with a shaft And fierce her glances on me fell.
ааааа Ravished with love, my every shift Straitened on me for passion's spell,
ааааа I pined for a coquette, enclosed With spear-points inexpugnable.
ааааа I saw her midst a garden fair: In symmetry she did excel.