O Aswarak! star of the morn!
Lo! the star must die when splendider light is born;
In stronger floods the beam will drown:
Shrink, thou puny orb, and dread to bring me my crown,
O Aswarak! star of the morn!
Then said she, 'Hark awhile at those two! There's a disputation between
them.'
So they hearkened, and Ukleet was pledging Boolp, and passing the cup to
him; but a sullenness had seized the broker, and he refused it, and
Ukleet shouted, 'Out, boon-fellow! and what a company art thou, that thou
refusest the pledge of friendliness? Plague on all sulkers!'
And the broker, the old miser, obstinate as are the half-fuddled, began
to mumble, 'I came not here to drink, O Ukleet, but to make a bargain;
and my bags be here, and I like not yonder veil, nor the presence of
yonder Vizier, nor the secresy of this. Now, by the Prophet and that
interdict of his, I'll drink no further.'
And Ukleet said, 'Let her not mark your want of fellowship, or 'twill go
ill with you. Here be fine wines, spirited wines! choice flavours! and
you drink not! Where's the soul in you, O Boolp, and where's the life in
you, that you yield her to the Vizier utterly? Surely she waiteth a
gallant sign from you, so challenge her cheerily.'
Quoth Boolp, 'I care not. Shall I leave my wealth and all I possess void
of eyes? and she so that I recognise her not behind the veil?'
Ukleet pushed the old miser jeeringly: 'You not recognise her? Oh, Boolp,
a pretty dissimulation! Pledge her now a cup to the snatching of the
veil, and bethink you of a fitting verse, a seemly compliment,--something
sugary.'
Then Boolp smoothed his head, and was bothered; and tapped it, and
commenced repeating to Bhanavar:
I saw the moon behind a cloud,
And I was cold as one that's in his shroud:
And I cried, Moon!--
Ukleet chorused him, 'Moon!' and Boolp was deranged in what he had to
say, and gasped,--
Moon! I cried, Moon!--and I cried, Moon!
Then the Vizier and Ukleet laughed till they fell on their backs; so
Bhanavar took up his verse where he left it, singing,--
And to the cry
Moon did make fair the following reply:
'Dotard, be still! for thy desire
Is to embrace consuming fire.'
Then said Boolp, 'O my mistress, the laws of conviviality have till now
restrained me; but my coming here was on business, and with me my bags,
in good faith. So let us transact this matter of the jewels, and after
that the song of--
''Thou and I
A cup will try,''
even as thou wilt.'
Bhanavar threw aside her outer robe and veil, and appeared in a dress of
sumptuous blue, spotted with gold bees; her face veiled with a veil of
gauzy silver, and she was as the moon in summer heavens, and strode mar
jestically forward, saying, 'The jewels? 'tis but one. Behold!'
The lamps were extinguished, and in her hand was the glory of the Serpent
Jewel, no other light save it in the vaulted chamber.
So the old miser perked his chin and brows, and cried wondering, 'I know
it, this Jewel, O my mistress.'
She turned to the Vizier, and said, lifting the red gloom of the Jewel on
him, 'And thou?'
Aswarak ate his under-lip.