Who trusteth secret to another's hand * Upon his brow deserveth burn of
brand!"
When the Porter heard their words he rejoined, "By your lives! I am a
man of sense and a discreet, who hath read books and perused
chronicles; I reveal the fair and conceal the foul and I act as the
poet adviseth:—
None but the good a secret keep * And good men keep it unrevealed:
It is to me a well shut house * With keyless locks and door
ensealed"[FN#154]
When the maidens heard his verse and its poetical application addressed
to them they said, "Thou knowest that we have laid out all our monies
on this place. Now say, hast thou aught to offer us in return for
entertainment? For surely we will not suffer thee to sit in our company
and be our cup companion, and gaze upon our faces so fair and so rare
without paying a round sum.[FN#155] Wottest thou not the saying:—
Sans hope of gain
Love's not worth a grain?"
Whereto the lady portress added, "If thou bring anything thou art a
something; if no thing, be off with thee, thou art a nothing;" but the
procuratrix interposed, saying, "Nay, O my sisters, leave teasing him
for by Allah he hath not failed us this day, and had he been other he
never had kept patience with me, so whatever be his shot and scot I
will take it upon myself." The Porter, over joyed, kissed the ground
before her and thanked her saying, "By Allah, these monies are the
first fruits this day hath given me." Hearing this they said, "Sit thee
down and welcome to thee," and the eldest lady added, "By Allah, we may
not suffer thee to join us save on one condition, and this it is, that
no questions be asked as to what concerneth thee not, and frowardness
shall be soundly flogged." Answered the Porter, "I agree to this, O my
lady, on my head and my eyes be it! Lookye, I am dumb, I have no
tongue. Then arose the provisioneress and tightening her girdle set the
table by the fountain and put the flowers and sweet herbs in their
jars, and strained the wine and ranged the flasks in row and made ready
every requisite. Then sat she down, she and her sisters, placing amidst
them the Porter who kept deeming himself in a dream; and she took up
the wine flagon, and poured out the first cup and drank it off, and
likewise a second and a third.[FN#156] After this she filled a fourth
cup which she handed to one of her sisters; and, lastly, she crowned a
goblet and passed it to the Porter, saying:—
"Drink the dear draught, drink free and fain * What healeth every grief
and pain."
He took the cup in his hand and, louting low, returned his best thanks
and improvised:—
“Drain not the bowl save with a trusty friend * A man of worth whose
good old blood all know:
For wine, like wind, sucks sweetness from the sweet * And stinks when
over stench it haply blow:”