When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night； She continued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the Wazir's daughter said to herself，'An his beloved be fair as he；it behoveth him to pour forth tears；and，if other than fair，his heart is wasted in vain regrets！'Now Miriam the Girdle-girl，the Minister's consort，had removed to the new palace the day before and the Wazir's daughter knew that she was straitened of breast；
so she was minded to seek her and talk with her and tell her the tidings of the young man and the rhymes and verses she had heard him recite；but，before she could carry out her design the Princess sent for her to cheer her with her converse.So she went to her and found her heavy at heart and her tears hurrying down her cheeks；and whilst she was weeping with sore weeping she recited these couplets；'My life is gone but love-longings remain * And my breast is straitened with pine and pain：
And my heart for parting to melt is fain * Yet hoping that union will come again；And join us in one who now are twain.
Stint your blame to him who in heart's your thrall * With the wasted frame which his sorrows gall；Nor with aim of arrow his heart appal * For parted lover is saddest of all；And Love's cup of bitters is sweet to drain！'
Quoth the Wazir's daughter to her，'What aileth thee，O Princess；to be thus straitened in breast and sorrowful of thought？'
Whereupon Miriam recalled the greatness of the delights that were past and recited these two couplets；'I will bear in patience estrangement of friend * And on cheeks rail tears that like torrents wend：
Haply Allah will solace my sorrow，for He * Neath the ribs of unease maketh ease at end.'
Said the Wazir's daughter，'O Princess，let not thy breast be straitened，but come with me straightway to the lattice；for there is with us in the stable[556] a comely young man；slender of shape and sweet of speech，and meseemeth he is a parted lover.'Miriam asked，'And by what sign knowest thou that he is a parted lover？'；and she answered，'O Queen，I know it by his improvising odes and verses all watches of the night and tides of the day.'Quoth the Princess in herself，'If what the Wazir's daughter says be true，these are assuredly the traits of the baffled，the wretched Ali Nur al-Din.Would I knew if indeed he be the youth of whom she speaketh.'At this thought；love-longing and distraction of passion redoubled on her and she rose at once and walking with the maiden to the lattice，looked down upon the stables，where she saw her love and lord Nur al-Din and fixing her eyes steadfastly upon him，knew him with the bestest knowledge of love，albeit he was sick，of the greatness of his affection for her and of the fire of passion，and the anguish of separation and yearning and distraction.Sore upon him was emaciation and he was improvising and saying；'My heart is a thrall；my tears ne'er abate * And their rains the railing of clouds amate；
'Twixt my weeping and watching and wanting love；* And whining and pining for dearest mate.
Ah my burning heat，my desire，my lowe！ * For the plagues that torture my heart are eight；
And five upon five are in suite of them；* So stand and listen to all I state：
Mem'ry，madding thoughts，moaning languishment，* Stress of longing love，plight disconsolate；
In travail，affliction and strangerhood，* And annoy and joy when on her I wait.
Fail me patience and stay for engrossing care * And sorrows my suffering soul regrate.
On my heart the possession of passion grows * O who ask of what fire in my heart's create；Why my tears in vitals should kindle flame，* Burning heart with ardours insatiate；Know，I'm drowned in Deluge[557] of tears and my soul * From Laza-lowe fares to Hawiyah-goal.'[558]
When the Princess Miriam beheld Nur al-Din and heard his loquence and verse and speech，she made certain that it was indeed her lord Nur al-Din；but she concealed her case from the Wazir's daughter and said to her，'By the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar，I thought not thou knewest of my sadness！'Then she arose forthright and withdrawing from the window，returned to her own place，whilst the Wazir's daughter went to her own occupations.The Princess awaited patiently awhile，then returned to the window and sat there，gazing upon her beloved Nur al-Din and delighting her eyes with his beauty and inner and outer grace.And indeed，she saw that he was like unto moon at full on fourteenth night；but he was ever sighing with tears never drying，for that he recalled whatso he had been abying.So he recited these couplets；'I hope for Union with my love which I may ne'er obtain * At all；but bitterness of life is all the gain I gain：
My tears are likest to the main for ebb and flow of tide；* But when I meet the blamer-wight to staunch my tears I'm fain.
Woe to the wretch who garred us part by spelling of his spells；[559] * Could I but hend his tongue in hand I'd cut his tongue in twain：
Yet will I never blame the days for whatso deed they did *
Mingling with merest，purest gall the cup they made me drain！
To whom shall I address myself；and whom but you shall seek *
A heart left hostage in your Court，by you a captive ta'en？
Who shall avenge my wrongs on you，[560] tyrant despotical *
Whose tyranny but grows the more，the more I dare complain？
I made him regnant of my soul that he the reign assain * But me he wasted wasting too the soul I gave to reign.
Ho thou，the Fawn，whom I so lief erst gathered to my breast *Enow of severance tasted I to own its might and main；Thou'rt he whose favours joined in one all beauties known to man；* Yet I thereon have wasted all my Patience' fair domain.
I entertained him in my heart whereto he brought unrest * But I am satisfied that I such guest could entertain.
My tears for ever flow and flood，likest the surging sea * And would I wot the track to take that I thereto attain.
Yet sore I fear that I shall die in depths of my chagrin * And must despair for evermore to win the wish I'd win.'
