Thousand & One Nights: 183rd Night: The Wealthy Man & The Slave Girl -13

The following night Shahrazad said:
I heard, O happy King, that Ali ibn Bakkar sat up and, taking a sheet of paper, said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hold the letter open before me."
Abu al-Hasan held it, Ali ibn Bakkar began to read it, and write a reply, then read the rest, write a reply, then read, then weep and write.  Tired, he gave it to Abu al-Hasan and said, "Read it and give it to the girl."

Abu al-Hasan related later:

I took it and read the following:
In the name of God a love letter 
Has come to me. A moon, a gift
Of light, whose words increases 
In loveliness, like the blossoms 
Of delight. It has lightened my 
Heavy load, and eased my sore.
You know my love and desire
My eyes burn in love, My heart 
Lies on pyre. O my sacred love
For you by my unholy wish, I say
My poor heart has love for none
Harboured since you went away.

O my lady your letter has reached me
bringing rest to a mind worn out with passion and desire and healing to a wounded heart torn by sickness and 
grief. I have been suffering all the torments of separation, a raging passion and an insecurable sickness. I feel that after you have retreated in every grievance I have tasted defeat.

The words of the letter stirred my soul, moving me so deeply so that I was numb with pain.  Finally I gave the letter to the girl, and when she took it, Ali ibn Bakkar said to her, "Come closer."  She stepped forward, and he said to her, "Convey my greetings to your master, acquaint him with my sickness and grief and with my love for him, which is in my flesh and bones, and tell them that I am a miserable man, whom life has dealt with heavy blows." and he asked to fly to her master with the answer; then he began to cry, and made me and the girl cry with him.  I took my leave of him, and went out with the girl, who was still crying." Abu al-Hasan walked with her part of the way and went to his shop."

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.



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