Still I kept my troth and failed not from her love; ah, would I
knew What she did with that our troth-plight, if she kept
her faith entire!
Then he looked at me and said, "Dost thou know what she did?"
"Yes," answered I, "she is dead; may God the Most High have
mercy on her!" At this his face changed and he sprang to his
feet and cried out, "How knowest thou she is dead?" "Were she
alive," answered I, "she had not left thee thus." "By Allah,
thou art right," said he, "and I care not to live after her."
Then his nerves quivered and he fell on his face; and we ran up
to him and shook him and found him dead, the mercy of God be on
him! At this we marvelled and mourned sore for him and laid him
out and buried him. When I returned to Baghdad and went in to
the Khalif El Mutawekkil, he saw the trace of tears on my face
and said to me, "What is this?" So I told him what had passed,
and it was grievous to him and he said, "What moved thee to
deal thus with him? By Allah, if I thought thou didst this with
intent, I would punish thee therefor!" And he mourned for him
the rest of the day.
THE APPLES OF PARADISE.
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