s enraptured, and I felt such pleasure as if I had tasted
the supreme joys of life, and thus I conceived that I had only on
that day entered the world [of enjoyment].

"The result is my present state! but no one [on earth] hath ever seen,
or heard such ecstatic pleasure! In that zest, with our hearts at
ease, we both were seated, when all at once our joys were dashed to
pieces! Now listen to the unlooked-for circumstance [which produced
this sudden change]. At the moment, four fairies descended from
the heavens, and whispered something in that beloved one's ear. On
hearing it, her colour changed, and she said to me, 'O my beloved,
I fondly wished to pass some moments with you, and regale my heart,
and to repeat my visits in the same manner, or to take thee with
me. But fate will not permit two persons [like us] to remain in one
place in peace and felicity; farewell, my beloved! may God protect
you!' On hearing these [dreadful words], my senses vanished, and my
bliss fled from my grasp. [239] I cried, 'O my charmer, when shall
we meet again? what dreadful words of wrath are these which you have
made me hear? If you will return quickly, then you will find me alive,
otherwise you will regret the delay; or else tell me your name and
place of residence, that I may from those directions, by diligent
search, conduct myself to you.' On hearing this she said, 'God forbid
[you should do so]; may the ears of Satan be deaf; may your age amount
to a hundred and twenty years; [240] if we live we shall meet again;
I am the daughter of the king of the _Jinns_, and I dwell in the
mountain of _Kaf_. [241] On saying this, she caused the throne to
ascend, [242] and it ascended in the same manner as it had descended.

"Whilst the throne was in sight, our eyes were fixed on each other;
when it disappeared from my eyes, my state became such as if the
shadow of a fairy had fallen on me; a strange sort of gloom was
spread over my heart, and my understanding and consciousness left
me; the world appeared dark under my eyes; distracted and confused,
I wept bitterly, and scattered dust over my head, and tore my clothes;
I became regardless of food and drink, nor cared for good or evil.

'What various evils result from this same love!
In the heart are produced sadness and impatience.' [243]

"My misfortune was soon known to my nurse and preceptor; with fear
and trembling they went before the king, and said, 'Such is the
state of the