And twixt the dune and down there shows the fairest flower that blooms ✿ Whose fruitage is granado’s fruit with all granado’s blee.[435] Forget my lids of eyne their sleep for magic eyes of him; ✿ Naught since he fared but drowsy charms and languorous air I see.[436] He shot me down with shaft of glance from bow of eyebrow sped: ✿ What Chamberlain[437] betwixt his eyes garred all my pleasure flee? Haply shall heart of me seduce his heart by weakness’ force ✿ E’en as his own seductive grace garred me love-ailment dree. For an by him forgotten be our pact and covenant ✿ I have a King who never will forget my memory. His sides bemock the bending charms of waving Tamarisk,[438] ✿ And in his beauty-pride he walks as drunk with coquetry: His feet and legs be feather-light whene’er he deigns to run ✿ And say, did any ride the wind except ’twere Solomon?[439] Therewith Al-Abbas smiled and her verses pleased him. Then he bade the fourth damsel come forward and sing, (now she was from the Sundown-land[440] and her name was Balakhshá); so she came forward and taking the lute and the zither, tuned the strings and smote them in many modes; then she returned to the first and improvising, sang these couplets:— When to the séance all for pleasure hied ✿ Thy lamping eyes illumined its every side; While playing round us o’er the wine-full bowl ✿ Those necklace-pearls old wine with pleasure plied,[441] Till wits the wisest drunken by her grace ✿ Betrayed for joyance secrets sages hide; And, seen the cup, we bade it circle round ✿ While sun and moon spread radiance side and wide. We raised for lover veil of love perforce ✿ And came glad tidings which new joys applied: Loud sang the camel-guide; won was our wish ✿ Nor was the secret by the spy espied: And, when my days where blest by union-bliss ✿ And to all-parting Time was aid denied, Each ’bode with other, clear of meddling spy ✿ Nor feared we hate of foe or neighbour-pride. The sky was bright, friends came and severance fared ✿ And Love-in-union rained boons multiplied: Saying, “Fulfil fair union, all are gone ✿ Rivals and fears lest shaming foe deride:” Friends now conjoinèd are: wrong passed away ✿ And meeting-cup goes round and joys abide: On you be Allah’s Peace with every boon ✿ Till end the dooming years and time and tide. When Balakhshá had ended her verse, all present were moved to delight and Al-Abbas said to her, “Brava, O damsel!” Then he bade the fifth damsel come forward and sing (now she was from the land of Syria and her name was Rayhánah; she was passing of voice and when she appeared in an assembly, all eyes were fixed upon her), so she came forward and taking the viol (for she was used to play upon all instruments) recited and sang these couplets:—