Then she sealed the letter and gave it to me. I took it and carried it to the house of Jubeir ben Umeirwhom I found absent hunting. So I sat downto wait for himand presently he returned；and when I saw him come riding upmy wit was confounded by his beauty ands grace. As soon as he saw me sitting at the doorhe dismounted and coming up to mesaluted and embraced me；and meseemed I embraced the world and all that therein is. Then he carried me into his house and seating me on his own couchcalled for food. So they brought a table of khelenj wood of Khorassanwith feet of goldwhereon were all manner of meatsfried and roasted and the like. So I seated myself at the table and examining itfound the following verses engraved upon it：
Weep for the cranes that erst within the porringers did lie And for the stews and partridges evanished heave a sigh！
Mourn for the younglings of the grouse；lament unceasinglyAs，for the omelettes and the fowls browned in the pando I.
How my heart yearneth for the fish thatin its different kindsUpon a paste of wheaten flourlay hidden in the pie！
Praised be God for the roast meatas in the dish it layWith pot-herbssoaked in vinegarin porringers hard by，And eke the rice with buffaloes'milk dressed and made savoury，Wherein the hands were plunged and arms were buried bracelet high！
O soulI rede thee patient befor God is bountiful： What though thy fortunes straitened beHis succour's ever nigh.
Then said Jubeir'Put thy hand to our food and ease our heart by eating of our victual.'By Allah，'answered I'I will not eat a mouthfultill thou grant me my desire.'What is thy desire？'asked he. So I brought out the letter and gave it to him；butwhen he had read ithe tore it into pieces and throwing it on the floorsaid to me'O Ibn MensourI will grant thee whatever thou askestsave this that concerns the writer of this letterfor I have no answer to make to her.'At thisI rose in anger；but he caught hold of my skirtssaying，'O Ibn MensourI will tell thee what she said to theefor all I was not present with you.'And what did she say to me？'
asked I. 'Did she not say to thee，'rejoined he''If thou bring me back an answerthou shalt have of me five hundred dinars；
and if nota hundred for thy pains？''Yes，'answered I；and he said'Abide with me this day and eat and drink and make merryand thou shalt have five hundred dinars.'
So I sat with him and ate and drank and made merry and entertained him with converse；after which I said to him'O my masteris there no music in thy house？'Indeed，'answered he，'we have drunk this long while without music.'Then he called outsaying'HoShejeret ed Durr！'Whereupon a slave-girl answered him from her chamber and came in to uswith a lute of Indian makewrapped in a silken bag. She sat down and laying the lute in her lappreluded in one-and-twenty modesthen，returning to the firstsang the following verses to a lively measure：
Who hath not tasted the sweet and the bitter of passionI trowThe presence of her whom he loves from her absence he hardly shall know.
So hefrom the pathway of love who hath wandered and fallen astrayThe smooth knoweth not from the rough of the roadwaywherein he doth go.
I ceased not the votaries of love and of passion to cross and gainsayTill I too must taste of its sweet and its bitterits gladness and woe.
Then I drank a full draught of the cup of its bittersand humbled was Iand thus to the bondman of Love and its freedman therein was brought low.
How many a night have I passed with the loved onecarousing with himWhilst I drank from his lips what was sweeter than nectar and colder than snow！
How short was the life of the nights of our pleasance！ It seemed to us stillNo sooner was night fallen down than the daybreak to eastward did glow.
But Fortune had vowed she would sever our union and sunder our loves；And nowin good soothshe her vow hath accomplished. Fate ordered it so；Fate ordered it thusand against its ordainingappeal there is none；For who shall gainsay a supreme one's commandments or causes him forego？
Hardly had she made an end of these verseswhen Jubeir gave a great cry and fell down in a swoon；whereupon'May God not punish theeO old man！'exclaimed the damsel. 'This long time have we drunk without musicfor fear the like of this should befall our master. But go now to yon chamber and sleep there.'
So I went to the chamber in question and slept till the morningwhen a page brought me a purse of five hundred dinars and said to me'This is what my master promised thee；but return thou not to her who sent thee and let it be as if neither thou nor we had heard of this affair.'I hear and obey，'answered I and taking the pursewent my way.
HoweverI said in myself'The lady will have expected me since yesterday；and by AllahI must needs return to her and tell her what passed between me and him；or she will curse me and all who come from my country.'So I went to her and found her standing behind the door；and when she saw meshe said'O Ibn Mensourthou hast gotten me nought.'Who told thee of this？'asked I；and she answered'O Ibn Mensouryet another thing hath been revealed to me；and it is thatwhen thou gavest hum the letterhe tore it in pieces and throwing it on the floorsaid to thee'O Ibn Mensourask me anything but what relates to the writer of this letter；for I have no reply to make to her.'Then didst thou rise from beside him in anger；but he laid hold of thy skirtssaying'Abide with me to-day，for thou art my guestand eat and drink and make merry；and thou shalt have five hundred dinars.'So thou didst sit with himeating and drinking and making merryand entertainedst him with converse；and a slave-girl sand such an air and such verseswhereupon he fell down in a swoon.'Quoth I'Wast thou then with us？'O Ibn Mensour，'replied she'hast thou not heard the saying of the poet：
The heart of the lover hath eyeswell I wotThat see what the eyes of beholders see not.
