第88章

so do thou get us ready good guest-cheer.'Whenas she heard this；she rejoiced divining that it was Masrur，and made ready a magnificent banquet，[345] of her delight in the success of her device.Then，when the guest drew nigh，her husband said to her；'Come out with me to him and bid him welcome and say，'Thou gladdenest us[346]！''But Zayn al-Mawasif made a show of anger，crying，'Wilt thou have me display myself before a strange man？ I take refuge with Allah！ Though thou cut me to bits，I will not appear before him！'Rejoined he，'Why shouldst thou be abashed at him，seeing that he is a Nazarene and we are Jews and；to boot，we are become chums，he and I？'Quoth she，'I am not minded to present myself before a strange man，on whom I have never once set eyes and whom I know not any wise.'Her husband thought she spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her，till she rose and veiling herself，took the food and went out to Masrur and welcomed him；whereupon he bowed his head groundwards，as he were ashamed，and the Jew，seeing such dejection said in himself；'Doubtless，this man is a devotee.'They ate their fill and the table being removed，wine was set on.As for Zayn al-Mawasif，she sat over against Masrur and gazed on him and he gazed on her till ended day，when he went home，with a heart to fire a prey.But the Jew abode pondering the grace and the comeliness of him；and；as soon as it was night，his wife according to custom served him with supper and they seated themselves before it.Now he had a mockingbird which was wont，whenever he sat down to meat，to come and eat with him and hover over his head；but in his absence the fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him as he sat at meals.Now when Masrur disappeared and the master returned，it knew him not and would not draw near him，and this made him thoughtful concerning his case and the fowl's withdrawing from him.As for Zayn al-Mawasif，she could not sleep with her heart thinking of Masrur，and thus it was with her a second and even a third night，till the Jew became aware of her condition and，watching her while she sat distraught，began to suspect somewhat wrong.On the fourth night，he awoke in the middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep and naming Masrur，what while she lay on her husband's bosom；wherefore he misdoubted her；but he dissembled his suspicions and when morning morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein.

Presently，up came Masrur and saluted him.He returned his salam and said to him，'Welcome，O my brother！'adding anon，'I have wished for thee；'and he sat talking with him for an hour or so；after which he said to him，'Rise，O my brother，and hie with me to my house，that we may enter into the pact of brotherhood.'[347] Replied Masrur，'With joy and goodly gree，'and they repaired to the Jew's house，where the master went in and told his wife of Masrur's visit，for the purpose of conditioning their partnership，and said，'Make us ready a goodly entertainment，and needs must thou be present and witness our brotherhood.'But she replied，'Allah upon thee，cause me not show myself to this strange man，for I have no mind to company with him.'So he held his peace and forbore to press her and bade the waiting-women bring food and drink.Then he called the mocking-bird but it knew not its lord and settled upon Masrur's lap；and the Jew said to him，'O my master，what is thy name？'He answered，'My name is Masrur；'whereupon the Jew remembered that this was the name which his wife had repeated all night long in her sleep.Presently，he raised his head and saw her making signs[348] with her forefingers to Masrur and motioning to him with her eyes，wherefore he knew that he had been completely cozened and cuckolded and said，'O my lord，excuse me awhile；till I fetch my kinsmen，so they may be present at our swearing brotherhood.'Quoth Masrur，'Do what seemeth good to thee；'

whereupon the Jew went forth the house and returning privily by a back way.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-third Night； She pursued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Zayn al-Mawasif's husband said to Masrur，'Excuse me awhile，till I fetch my cousins to witness the brother-bond between me and thee.'Then he went forth and，privily returning behind the sitting-room，there took his station hard by a window which gave upon the saloon and whence he could watch them without their seeing him.Suddenly quoth Zayn al-Mawasif to her maid Sukub；'Whither is thy master gone？'；and quoth she，'He is gone without the house.'Cried the mistress，'Lock the door and bar it with iron and open thou not till he knock，after thou hast told me.'

Answered Sukub，'So shall it be done.'Then，while her husband watched them，she rose and filling a cup with wine，flavoured with powdered musk and rose-water，went close to Masrur，who sprang up to meet her，saying，'By Allah，the water of thy mouth is sweeter than this wine！''Here it is for thee，'said she and filling her mouth with wine，gave him to drink thereof，whilst he gave her the like to drink；after which she sprinkled him with rose-water from front to foot，till the perfume scented the whole place.All this while，the Jew was looking on and marvelling at the stress of love that was between them and his heart was filled with fury for what he saw and he was not only wroth，but jealous with exceeding jealousy.Then he went out again and coming to the door found it locked and knocked a loud knock of the excess of his rage；whereupon quoth Sukub，'O my lady，here is my master；'

and quoth Zayn al-Mawasif，'Open to him；would that Allah had not brought him back in safety！'So Sukub went and opened the door to the Jew，who said to her，'What ailed thee to lock the door？'