Then I wept，and she said，'Be of good cheer and strong heart： of a truth others are occupied with love for years and endure with constancy the ardour of passion，whilst thou hast but a week to wait；why then this impatience？' Thereupon she went on cheering me with comfortable talk and brought me food： so I took a mouthful and tried to eat but could not；and I abstained from meat and drink and estranged myself from the solace of sleep，till my colour waxed yellow and I lost my good looks；for I had never been in love before nor had I ever savoured the ardour of passion save this time.So I fell sick and my cousin also sickened on my account；but she would relate to me，by way of consolation，stories of love and lovers every night till I fell asleep；and when ever I awoke，I found her wakeful for my sake with tears running down her cheeks.This ceased not till the five days were past，when my cousin rose and warmed some water and bathed me with it.Then she dressed me in my best and said to me，'Repair to her and Allah fulfil thy wish and bring thee to thy desire of thy beloved！' So I went out and ceased not walking on till I came to the upper end of the by street.As it was the Sabbath[495] I found the dyer's shop locked and sat before it，till I heard the call to mid afternoon prayer.Then the sun yellowed and the Mu'ezzins[496] chanted the call to sundown prayer and the night came；but I saw no sign nor heard one word，nor knew any news of her.So I feared for my life sitting there alone；and at last I arose and walked home reeling like a drunken man.When I reached the house，I found my cousin Azizah standing，with one hand grasping a peg driven into the wall and the other on her breast；and she was sighing and groaning and repeating these couplets，'The longing of an Arab lass forlorn of kith and kin（Who to Hijazian willow wand and myrtle[497] cloth incline，And who，when meeting caravan，shall with love-lowe set light To bivouac fire，and bang for conk her tears of pain and pine）Exceeds not mine for him nor more devotion shows，but he Seeing my heart is wholly his spurns love as sin indign.'
Now when she had finished her verse she turned to me and，seeing me，wiped away her tears and my tears with her sleeve.Then she smiled in my face and said，'O my cousin，Allah grant thee enjoyment of that which He hath given thee！Why didst thou not pass the night by the side of thy beloved and why hast thou not fulfilled thy desire of her？' When I heard her words，I gave her a kick in the breast and she fell down in the saloon and her brow struck upon the edge of the raised pavement and hit against a wooden peg therein.I looked at her and saw that her forehead was cut open and the blood running，--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Fifteenth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the young merchant continued to Taj al-Muluk：'Now when I kicked the daughter of my uncle in the breast she fell on the edge of the raised pavement in the saloon and her brow struck upon a wooden peg.Thereby her forehead was cut open and the blood ran down，but she was silent and did not utter a single sound.[498]
Presently she rose up，and made some tinder of rags，then staunching with it the bleeding wound，bound her forehead with a bandage；after which she wiped up the blood that had fallen on the carpet，and it was as if nothing had been.Presently she came up to me and smiling in my face，said with gentle voice，'By Allah，O son of my uncle，I spake not these words to mock at thee or at her！But I was troubled with an ache in my head and was minded to be blooded，but now thou hast eased my head and lightened my brow；so tell me what hath befallen thee to day.'
Thereupon I told her all that had passed between me and her that day；and she wept as she heard my words and said，'O son of my uncle，rejoice at the good tidings of thy desire being fulfilled and thine aim being attained.Of a truth this is a sign of acceptance；for that she stayed away only because she wisheth to try thee and know if thou be patient or not，and sincere in thy love for her or otherwise.Tomorrow，repair to her at the old place and see what sign she maketh to thee；for indeed thy gladness is near and the end of thy sadness is at hand.' And she went on to comfort me；but my cark and care ceased not to increase on me.Presently she brought me food which I kicked away with my foot so that the contents of every saucer were scattered in all directions，and I said，'Every lover is a madman；he inclineth not to food neither enjoyeth he sleep.' And my cousin Azizah rejoined，'By Allah，O son of my uncle，these be in very deed the signs of love！' And the tears streamed down her cheeks whenas she gathered the fragments of the saucers and wiped up the food；then she took seat and talked to me，whilst I prayed Allah to hasten the dawn.At last，when morning arose with its sheen and shine，I went out to seek her and hastening to her by street sat down on that bench，when lo！the wicket opened and she put out her head laughing.Then she disappeared within and returned with a mirror，a bag；and a pot full of green plants and she held in hand a lamp.
