This is my reading of her signs， and could I come and go at will，I would quickly bring you and her together and cover you both with my skirt." I thanked her and said to myself， "I will wait two days." So I abode two days in the house， without going out，and ate not nor drank， but lay with my head in my cousin"s lap，whilst she comforted me and bade me take heart and be of good cheer. When the two days were past， she said to me， "Take courage and dress thyself and go to her， according to the tryst." Then she rose and changed my clothes and perfumed me with incense. So I took heart and went out and walked on till I came to the by-street， where I sat down on the bench. After awhile， the wicket opened and I looked up and seeing the lady， fell down in a swoon. When I revived， I took courage to look again at her and again became insensible. Then I came to myself and looking at her， saw that she had a mirror and a red handkerchief in her hand. When she saw me， she bared her forearms and smote her breast with her palm and five fingers； after which she raised her hands and holding the mirror forth of the wicket， took the red handkerchief and retired with it， but immediately returned and putting out her hand with the handkerchief， lowered it towards the ground and raised it again three several times. Then she wrung it out and folded it in her hands， bowing her head the while； after which she drew in her head and shutting the window，went away， without saying a word， leaving me confounded and knowing not what she meant. I sat there till the evening and did not return home till near midnight， when I found my cousin sitting， weeping bitterly and repeating the following verses：
Ah me， what ails the censurer， that he at thee should flite？ How shall I be consoled for thee， and thou a sapling slight？
O thou， the splendour of whose sight has ta"en my heart by storm，Whose supple bending grace compels to passion"s utmost height，[FN#125]
Whose eyes， with Turkish languor caught， work havoc in the breast And leave such wounds as ne"er were made by falchion in the fight！
Thou layst on me a heavy load of passion and desire， On me that am too weak to bear a shift upon me dight.
Ay， tears of blood I weep， for that my censors say to me， "A sudden sword， from out his lids thou lovest， shall thee smite."
Ah， would my heart were like to thine， even as my body is Like to thy waist， all thin and frail and dwindled for despite！
Thou， that my prince in beauty art， a steward[FN#126] hast， whose rule Aggrieves me and a chamberlain[FN#127] that doth me foul upright.
He lies who says， "All loveliness in Joseph was comprised." How many Josephs are there not within thy beauty bright！
I force myself to turn from thee， for fear of spying eyes， Though sore it irks me to forswear the solace of thy sight.
At this， trouble and grief redoubled on me and I fell down in a corner； whereupon she sprang up and coming to me， lifted me up and took off my outer clothes and wiped my face with her sleeve.
Then she asked me how I had fared， and I told her all that had happened. "O my cousin，" said she， "as for her sign to thee with her palm and five fingers， it meant， "Return after five days；"
and her gestures with the mirror and the putting forth of her head and the lowering and raising of the red handkerchief meant，"Sit in the dyer"s shop， till my messenger come to thee."" When I heard this， fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed， "O my cousin， by Allah， thou sayst sooth in this thine interpretation；
for I saw the shop of a Jewish dyer in the street." Then I wept，and she said， "O my cousin， summon up resolution and be steadfast of heart： others are occupied with love for years and are constant to endure the ardour of passion， whilst thou hast but a week[FN#128] to wait； so why art thou thus impatient？" Then she went on to cheer me with comfortable talk and brought me food： so I took a mouthful， but could not eat and abstained from meat and drink and knew not the solace of sleep， till my colour paled and I lost my good looks； for I had never before been in love nor tasted the ardour of passion. So I fell sick and my cousin also sickened on my account； but every night she would divert me with stories of love and lovers， till I fell asleep； and whenever I awoke， I used to find her wakeful for my sake， with the tears running down her cheeks. Thus we did till the five days were past， when she rose and heating water， bathed me with it. Then she dressed me and said to me， "Go to her and may God fulfil your wish and bring thee to thy desire of thy beloved！" So I went out and walked on， till I came to the by-street. I found the dyer"s shop shut， for it was Saturday， and sat before it， till I heard thecall to afternoon-prayer. Then the sun turned pale， the Muezzins chanted the call to the prayer of sunset and the night came； but I saw no sign nor heard aught of her. With this， I feared for myself， sitting there alone； so I rose and went home，staggering like a drunken man. When I reached the house， I found my cousin Azizeh standing， with one hand grasping a peg driven into the wall and the other on her breast； and she was sighing heavily and repeating the following verses：
The longing of a Bedouin maid， whose folk are far away， Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the hay，[FN#129]
Whose tears， when she on travellers lights， might for their water serve And eke her passion， with its heat， their bivouac-fire purvey，Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love， Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him alway.