May the place of my session ne’er lack thee I Oh, why, My heart’s
     love, hast thou saddened my mind and mine eye?[FN#108]
By thy ransom,[FN#109] who dwellest alone in my heart, In despair
     for the loss of the loved one am I.
So, by Allah, O richest of all men in charms, Vouchsafe to a
     lover, who’s bankrupt well-nigh
Of patience, thy whilom endearments again, That I never to any
     divulged, nor deny
The approof of my lord, so my stress and unease I may ban and
     mine enemies’ malice defy,
Thine approof which shall clothe me in noblest attire And my rank
     in the eyes of the people raise high.

When she had made an end of her song, all who were in the assembly wept for the daintiness of her speech and the sweetness of her voice and El Abbas said to her, “Well done, O Merziyeh I Indeed, thou confoundest the wits with the goodliness of thy verses and the elegance of thy speech.”  All this while Shefikeh abode gazing upon her, and when she beheld El Abbas his slave-girls and considered the goodliness of their apparel and the nimbleness of their wits and the elegance of their speech, her reason was confounded.  Then she sought leave of El Abbas and returning to her mistress Mariyeh, without letter or answer, acquainted her with his case and that wherein he was of puissance and delight and majesty and venerance and loftiness of rank.  Moreover, she told her what she had seen of the slave-girls and their circumstance and that which they had said and how they had made El Abbas desireful of returning to his own country by the recitation of verses to the sound of the strings.

When the princess heard this her slave-girl’s report, she wept and lamented and was like to depart the world.  Then she clave to her pillow and said, “O Shefikeh, I will instruct thee of somewhat that is not hidden from God the Most High, and it is that thou watch over me till God the Most High decree the accomplishment of His commandment, and when my days are ended, take thou the necklace and the mantle that El Abbas gave me and return them to him.  Indeed, I deem not he will live after me, and if God the Most High decree against him and his days come to an end, do thou give one charge to shroud us and bury us both in one grave.”

Then her case changed and her colour paled; and when Shefikeh saw her mistress in this plight, she repaired to her mother and told her that the lady Mariyeh refused meat and drink.  “Since when hath this befallen her?” asked the queen, and Shefikeh answered, “Since yesterday;” whereat the queen was confounded and betaking herself to her daughter, that she might enquire into her case, found her as one dead.  So she sat down at her head and Mariyeh opened her eyes and seeing her mother sitting by her, sat up for shamefastness before her.  The queen questioned her of her case and she said, “I entered the bath and it stupefied me and weakened me and left an exceeding pain in my head; but I trust in God the Most High that it will cease.”