The Shaving of Shagpat; an Arabian entertainment — Volume 1Meredith, George
Science
The Shaving of Shagpat; an Arabian entertainment — Volume 1
Meredith, George
Arab countries -- Fiction; Fantasy fiction, English
Now, the ship sailed close up to the quay, and cast anchor there in the
midst of other ships of merchandise. Almeryl then threw a robe over his
mountain dress and spoke with the captain apart, and he and Bhanavar took
leave of the captain, and landed on the quay among the porters, and of
these one stepped forward to them and shouted cheerily, 'Where be the
burdens and the bales, O ye, fair couple fashioned in the eye of elegant
proportions? Ye twin palm-trees, male and female! Wullahy! broad is the
back of your servant.'
Almeryl beckoned to him that he should follow them, and he followed them,
blessing the wind that had brought them to that city and the day. So
they passed through the streets and lanes of the city, and the porter
pointed out this house and that house wanting an occupant, and Almeryl
fixed on one in an open thoroughfare that had before it a grass-plot, and
behind a garden with fountains and flowers, and grass-knolls shaded by
trees; and he paid down the half of its price, and had it furnished
before nightfall sumptuously, and women in it to wait on Bhanavar, and
stuffs and goods, and scents for the bath,--all luxuries whatsoever that
tradesmen and merchants there could give in exchange for gold. Then
Almeryl dismissed the porter in Allah's name, and gladdened his spirit
with a gift over the due of his hire that exalted him in the eyes of the
porter, and the porter went from him, exclaiming, 'In extremity Ukleet is
thy slave!' and he sang:
Shouldst thou see a slim youth with a damsel arriving,
Be sure 'tis the hour when thy fortune is thriving;
A generous fee makes the members so supple
That over the world they could carry this couple.
Now so it was that the youth Almeryl and the damsel Bhanavar abode in the
city they had come to weeks and months, and life to either of them as the
flowing of a gentle stream, even as brother and sister lived they,
chastely, and with temperate feasting. Surely the youth loved her with a
great love, and the heart of Bhanavar turned not from him, and was won
utterly by his gentleness and nobleness and devotion; and they relied on
each other's presence for any joy, and were desolate in absence, as the
poet says:
When we must part, love,
Such is my smart, love,
Sweetness is savourless,
Fairness is favourless!
But when in sight, love,
We two unite, love,
Earth has no sour to me;
Life is a flower to me!
And with the increase of every day their passion increased, and the
revealing light in their eyes brightened and was humid, as is sung by him
that luted to the rage of hearts:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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