239 Love fell sick, and the Lover tended him with patience, perseverance, obedience and hope. Love grew well, and the Lover fell sick; and he was cured by his Beloved, who made him to remember His virtue and honour. 240 ‘Say, O Fool, what is solitude?’ He answered: ‘It is solace and companionship between Lover and Beloved.’ ‘And what are solace and companionship?’ ‘Solitude in the Lover’s heart, when he remembers naught save his Beloved.’ 241 They asked the Lover: ‘In which is there greater danger, in bearing trials for love’s sake or in enjoying pleasures?’ The Lover took counsel with his Beloved, and replied: ‘The perils which come through pleasures are the perils of ignorance; and those which come through afflictions are the perils of impatience.’ 242 The Beloved gave Love his freedom, and allowed men to take him to themselves as much as they would; but scarce one was found who would take him to his heart. And for this cause the Lover wept, and was sad at the dishonour which is paid to Love by the ungrateful among men and by false lovers. 243 Love destroyed all that was in the heart of his faithful Lover that he might live and have free course in it; and the Lover would have died had memory not revealed to him his Beloved. 244 On two things the Lover was wont to meditate: the one was the Essence and the goodness of his Beloved, and the other was his Beloved’s works. He knew not which of these was the more excellent and the more pleasing to the Beloved. 245 ‘Say, O Fool, wouldst thou fain die?’ He answered: ‘Yea, to the pleasures of this world and the thoughts of the unhappy sinners who dishonour and forget my Beloved; in whose thoughts I would have no part nor lot, since my Beloved has no part in them.’ 246 ‘If thou speakest truth, O Fool, thou wilt be beaten by men, tormented, mocked, reproved and killed.’ He answered: ‘From those words it follows that if I spoke falsehoods I should be praised by men, served, loved and honoured, and defended by those who despise my Beloved.’ 247 False flatterers were speaking ill of the Lover one day in the presence of his Beloved. The Lover was patient, and the Beloved shewed His justice, wisdom and power. And the Lover preferred to be blamed and reproved in this wise, than to be one of those that falsely accused him. 248 The Beloved planted many seeds in the heart of His Lover, but one of them only took life and put forth leaf and gave flower and fruit. Think you that from this single fruit may come many seeds? 249 Far above Love is the Beloved; far beneath it is the Lover; and Love, which lies between these two, made the Beloved to descend to the Lover, and the Lover to rise toward the Beloved. And this ascending and descending is the being and the life of Love--of that Love which makes the Lover to endure pain and which ever serves the Beloved.