So Masrur entered into a long discourse with Hubub and presently
said to her, "O Hubub, hath thy mistress a husband or not?" She
replied, "My lady hath a husband; but he is actually abroad on a
journey with merchandise of his." Now whenas he heard that her
husband was abroad on a journey, his heart lusted after her and
he said, "O Hubub, glorified be He who created this damsel and
fashioned her! How sweet is her beauty and her loveliness and her
symmetry and perfect grace! Verily, into my heart is fallen sore
travail for her. O Hubub, so do that I come to enjoy her, and
thou shalt have of me what thou wilt of wealth and what not
else." Replied Hubub, "O Nazarene, if she heard thee speak thus,
she would slay thee, or else she would kill herself, for she is
the daughter of a Zealot[FN#318] of the Jews nor is there her
like amongst them: she hath no need of money and she keepeth
herself ever cloistered, discovering not her case to any." Quoth
Masrur, "O Hubub, an thou wilt but bring me to enjoy her, I will
be to thee slave and foot page and will serve thee all my life
and give thee whatsoever thou seekest of me." But quoth she, "O
Masrur, in very sooth this woman hath no lust for money nor yet
for men, because my lady Zayn al-Mawasif is of the cloistered,
going not forth her house-door in fear lest folk see her; and but
that she bore with thee by reason of thy strangerhood, she had
not permitted thee to pass her threshold; no, not though thou
wert her brother." He replied, "O Hubub, be thou our go-between
and thou shalt have of me an hundred gold dinars and a dress
worth as much more, for that the love of her hath gotten hold of
my heart." Hearing this she said, "O man, let me go about with
her in talk and I will return thee and answer and acquaint thee
with what she saith. Indeed, she loveth those who berhyme her and