' 'God forbid that this should be!' replied he. 'How shall the
dog sit in the lion's place? Verily, that which is the master's
is forbidden to the slave.' And he withdrew from her and sat down
on a corner of the mat. Her passion increased with his refusal;
so she sat down beside him and caroused and sported with him,
till they were both warm with wine, and she was mad for dishonour
with him. Then she sang the following verses:
The heart of the slave of passion is all but broken in twain: How
long shall this rigour last and this coldness of disdain?
O thou that turnest away from me, in default of sin, Rather to
turn towards than away should gazelles be fain!
Aversion and distance eternal and rigour and disdain; How can
youthful lover these hardships all sustain?
Thereupon Ghanim wept and she wept because he did, and they
ceased not to drink till nightfall, when he rose and spread two
beds, each in its place. 'For whom is the second bed?' asked she.
'One is for me and the other for thee,' answered he. 'Henceforth
we must lie apart, for that which is the master's is forbidden to
the slave.' 'O my lord,' exclaimed she, 'let us leave this, for
all things happen according to fate and predestination.' But be
refused, and the fire was loosed in her heart and she clung to
him and said, 'By Allah, we will not sleep but together!' 'God
forbid!' answered he, and he prevailed against her and lay apart
till the morning, whilst love and longing and distraction
redoubled on her.
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