burton--1001-nights--sample

een false to thine oath.” He at once cried out with a loud cry,
whereupon a door opened and in came seven black slaves whom he
commanded to drag me from my bed and throw me down in the
middle of the room. Furthermore, he ordered one of them to pinion
my elbows and squat upon my head; and a second to sit upon my
knees and secure my feet; and drawing his sword he gave it to a third
and said, “Strike her, O Sa’ad, and cut her in twain and let each one
take half and cast it into the Tigris that the fish may eat her; for such is
the retribution due to those who violate their vows and are unfaithful
to their love.” And he redoubled in wrath and recited these couplets: —
An there be one who shares with me her love, * I’d strangle Love tho’
life by Love were slain;
Saying, O Soul, Death were the nobler choice, * For ill is Love when
shared ’twixt partners twain.
Then he repeated to the slave, “Smite her, O Sa’ad!” And when the
slave who was sitting upon me made sure of the command he bent
down to me and said, “O my mistress, repeat the profession of Faith
and bethink thee if there be any thing thou wouldst have done; for
verily this is the last hour of thy life.”
“O good slave,” said I, “wait but a little while and get off my head
that I may charge thee with my last injunctions.” Then I raised my
head and saw the state I was in, how I had fallen from high degree into
lowest disgrace; and into death after life (and such life!) and how I had
brought my punishment on myself by my own sin; whereupon the
tears streamed from mine eyes and I wept with exceeding weeping. But
he looked on me with eyes of wrath, and began repeating: —
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