Ah， would I knew his heart was even as is mine， All wasted and consumed by passion"s flaming feet！
When she saw me， she rose in haste and wiping away her tears，accosted me with her soft speech， saying， "O my cousin， verily God hath been gracious to thee in thy love， in that she whom thou lovest loves thee， whilst I pass my time in weeping and lamenting my separation from thee that blamest and chidest me； but may God not reproach thee for my sake！" Then she smiled in my face， a sad smile， and caressed me； then taking off my outer clothes， she spread them out and said， "By Allah， this is not the scent of one who hath enjoyed his mistress！ Tell me what has befallen thee， O my cousin." So I told her all that had passed， and she smiled again， a sad smile， and said， "Verily， my heart is full of pain；
but may he not live who would hurt thy heart！ Indeed， this woman makes herself extravagantly difficult to thee， and by Allah， I fear for thee from her. Know that the meaning of the salt is that thou wert drowned in sleep and she likens thee to insipid food，at which the soul sickens； and it is as if she said to thee， "It behoves that thou be salted， lest nature reject thee. Thou professest to be of the true lovers， but sleep is forbidden to a lover； therefore， thy love is false." But it is her love for thee that is false； for she saw thee asleep， yet awoke thee not， and were her love for thee sincere， she had aroused thee. As for the charcoal， it means， "God blacken thy face， for that thou makest a lying presence of love， whereas thou art but a child and hast no concern but to eat and drink and sleep！" This is the interpretation of her signs， and may God the Most High deliver thee from her！" When I heard my cousin"s words， I beat my breast with my hand and cried out， "By Allah， this is the truth， for I slept and lovers sleep not！ Indeed， I have sinned against myself，for nought could have done me more hurt than eating and sleeping.
What shall I do！" Then I wept sore and said to her， "Have compassion on me and tell me what to do， so may God have compassion on thee： else I shall die." Now my cousin loved me very dearly； so she replied， "On my head and eyes. But， O my cousin， as I have told thee often， could I go in and out at will，I would very soon bring you together and cover you both with my skirt： nor would I do this but hoping to win thy favour. God willing， I will do my utmost endeavour to bring about your union；
but hearken thou to me and do as I bid thee. Go to the garden at nightfall and sit down in the same place and look thou eat not，for eating induces sleep； and beware of sleeping， for she will not come to thee， till a fourth part of the night be passed. And may God save thee from her mischief！" When I heard this， I rejoiced and besought God to hasten the night. As soon as it was dark， I rose to go， and my cousin said to me， "If thou foregather with her， repeat to her the verse I taught thee， at the time of leave-taking." "On my head and eyes，" replied I， and going out，repaired to the garden， where I found all as on the previous night， with meat and drink spread ready， and dessert and flowers and so forth. I went up into the pavilion and smelt the odour of the viands and my soul lusted after them； but I forbore awhile，till at last I could no longer restrain my appetite. So I went up to the table， and raising the cover， found a dish of fowls，surrounded by four smaller dishes， containing various meats. I ate a mouthful of each dish and a piece of meat and as much as I would of the sweetmeat： then I tasted a dish of rice dressed with honey and saffron and liking it， supped of it by the spoonful，till I was satisfied and my belly was full. With this， my eyelids became heavy； so I took a cushion and put it under my head，saying， "Surely I can recline upon it， without going to sleep."
Then I closed my eyes and slept， nor did I wake till the sun had risen， when I found myself lying on the bare marble， with a die of bone， a play-stick，[FN#130] a green date-stone[FN#131] and a carob-bean on my stomach. There was no furniture nor aught else in the place， and it was as if there had been nothing there yesterday. So I rose and shaking all these things off me， went out in a rage， and going home， found my cousin sighing and repeating the following verses：
Wasted body and heart a-bleeding for despair And tears that down my cheeks stream on and on for e"er，And a beloved one persistent in disdain； Yet all a fair one does must needs be right and fair.
O cousin mine， thou"st filled my heart with longing pain And wounded are mine eyes with tears that never spare.
I chid her and reviled her， at which she wept； then wiping away her tears， she came up to me and kissed me and pressed me to her bosom， whilst I held back from her and blamed myself. Then she said to me， "O my cousin， meseems thou didst sleep again last night？" "Yes，" replied I； "and when I awoke， I found on my stomach a die of bone， a play-stick， a green date-stone and a carob-bean， and I know not why she did this." Then I wept and said to her， "Expound to me her meaning in this and tell me what I shall do and help me in this my strait." "On my head and eyes，"
answered she. "Know then that， by the figure of the die and the play-stick， she says to thee， "Thy body is present， but thy heart absent. Love is not thus： so do not reckon thyself among lovers."
As for the date-stone， it is as if she said to thee， "If thou wert in love， thy heart would be on fire with passion and thou wouldst not taste the delight of sleep； for the sweet of love is like a green date and kindles a fire in the entrails." As for the carob-bean， it signifies， "The lover"s heart is wearied； so be thou patient under our separation， even as Job was patient.""