"Methought she was the forenoon sun until she donned the veil * But lit she fire in vitals mine still flaring fierce and high, How had it hurt her an she deigned return my poor salám * With fingertips or e'en vouchsafed one little wink of eye? The cavalier who spied her face was wholly stupefied * By charms that glorify the place and every charm outvie. 'Be this the Fair who makes thee pine and long for love liesse? * Indeed thou art excused!' 'This is my fairest she;'(quoth I) Who shot me with the shaft of looks nor deigns to rue my woes * Of strangerhood and broken heart and love I must aby: I rose a-morn with vanquished heart, to longing love a prey * And weep I through the live long day and all the night I cry." The girl marvelled at his eloquence and elegance and taking her lute, smote thereon with the goodliest of performance, repeating all the melodies, and sang these couplets, "By the life o' thy face, O thou life o' my sprite! * I'll ne'er leave thy love for despair or delight: When art cruel thy vision stands hard by my side * And the thought of thee haunts me when far from sight: O who saddenest my glance albe weeting that I * No love but thy love will for ever requite? Thy cheeks are of Rose and thy lips-dews are wine; * Say, wilt grudge them to us in this charming site?" Hereat Nur al-Din was gladdened with extreme gladness and wondered with the utmost wonder, so he answered her verse with these couplets, "The sun yellowed not in the murk gloom li'en * But lay pearl enveiled 'neath horizon-chine; Nor showed its crest to the eyes of Morn * But took refuge from parting with Morning-shine.[FN#435] Take my tear-drops that trickle as chain on chain * And they'll tell my case with the clearest sign. An my tears be likened to Nile-flood, like * Malak's[FN#436] flooded flat be this love o'mine. Quoth she, 'Bring thy riches!' Quoth I, 'Come, take!' * 'And thy sleep?' 'Yes, take it from lids of eyne!'" When the girl heard Nur al-Din's words and noted the beauty of his eloquence her senses fled and her wit was dazed and love of him gat hold upon her whole heart. So she pressed him to her bosom and fell to kissing him like the billing of doves, whilst he returned her caresses with successive kisses; but preeminence appertaineth to precedence.[FN#437] When she had made an end of kissing, she took the lute and recited these couplets,