And he, foaming and grinding his breath, 'Thou woman of wiles! thou
serpent! but I'll be gone from here.'
So she faltered in sweetness, knowing him doomed, and loving to dally
with him in her wickedness, 'Indeed if thou cam'st not for my kiss--'
Then said the Vizier, 'Yet a further guile! Was't not an outrage to bring
me here?'
She faltered again, leaning the fair length of her limbs on a couch,
''Tis ill that we are not alone, else could these lips convince thee
well: else indeed!'
And the Vizier cried, 'Chase then these intruders from us, O thou
sorceress, and above all serpents in power! for thou poisonest with a
touch; and the eye and the ear alike take in thy poisons greedily. Thou
overcomest the senses, the reason, the judgment; yea, vindictiveness,
wrath, suspicions; leading the soul captive with a breath of thine, as
'twere a breeze from the gardens of bliss.'
Bhanavar changed her manner a little, lisping, 'And why that starting
from the tomb of a dead harmless youth? And that abuse of me?'