The leaves were jewelled with the tears of the clouds; the
camomile smiled with her white petals like a lady's teeth, and
the narcissus looked at the rose with her negro's eyes: the
citrons shone like cups and the limes like balls of gold, and the
earth was carpeted with flowers of all colours; for the Spring
was come and the place beamed with its brightness; whilst the
birds sang and the stream rippled and the breeze blew softly, for
the attemperance of the air. Ibrahim carried them up into the
pavilion, and they gazed on its beauty and on the lamps aforesaid
in the windows; and Noureddin called to mind his banquetings of
time past and said, 'By Allah, this is a charming place!' Then
they sat down and the gardener set food before them; and they ate
their fill and washed their hands; after which Noureddin went up
to one of the windows and calling the damsel, fell to gazing on
the trees laden with all manner of fruits. Then he turned to the
gardener and said to him, 'O Gaffer Ibrahim, hast thou no drink
here, for folk use to drink after eating?' The old man brought
him some fresh sweet cold water, but he said, 'This is not the
kind of drink I want.' 'Belike,' said Ibrahim, 'thou wishest for
wine?' 'I do,' replied Noureddin. 'God preserve me from it!' said
the old man. 'It is thirteen years since I did this thing, for
the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) cursed its drinker,
its presser, its seller and its carrier.
Pages:
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457