Then he returned to his own lodging confounded and tearful-eyed;and abode there for the space of ten days.Such was his case;but as regards the Jew,he journeyed on with Zayn al-Mawasif half a score days,at the end of which he halted at a certain city and she,being by that time assured that her husband had played her false,wrote to Masrur a letter and gave it to Hubub,saying;'Send this to Masrur,so he may know how foully and fully we have been tricked and how the Jew hath cheated us.'So Hubub took it and despatched it to Masrur,and when it reached,its news was grievous to him and he wept till he watered the ground.Then he wrote a reply and sent it to his mistress,subscribing it with these two couplets;'Where is the way to Consolation's door * How shall console him flames burn evermore?
How pleasant were the days of yore all gone: * Would we had somewhat of those days of yore!'
When the missive reached Zayn al-Mawasif,she read it and again gave it to her handmaid Hubub,saying to her,'Keep it secret!'
However,the husband came to know of their correspondence and removed with her and her two women to another city,at a distance of twenty days' march.Thus it befel Zayn al-Mawasif;but as regards Masrur,sleep was not sweet to him nor was peace peaceful to him or patience left to him,and he ceased not to be thus till,one night,his eyes closed for weariness and he dreamt that he saw Zayn al-Mawasif come to him in the garden and embrace him;
but presently he awoke and found her not: whereupon his reason fled and his wits wandered and his eyes ran over with tears;
love-longing to the utterest gat hold of his heart and he recited these couplets;'Peace be to her,who visits me in sleeping phantasy * Stirring desire and growing love to uttermost degree:
Verily from that dream I rose with passion madden?d * For sight of fairest phantom come in peace to visit me:
Say me,can dreams declare the truth anent the maid I love,* And quench the fires of thirst and heal my love-sick malady?
Anon to me she is liberal and she strains me to her breast;*