Then she asked me，'What said she，and what signs made she to thee？' I answered，'She uttered not a word，but put her fore finger in her mouth，then joining it to her middle finger，laid both fingers on her bosom and pointed to the ground.Thereupon she withdrew her head and shut the wicket；and after that I saw her no more.However，she took my heart with her，so I sat till sun down，expecting her again to look out of the window；but she did it not；and，when I despaired of her，I rose from my seat and came home.This is my history and I beg thee to help me in this my sore calamity.' Upon this she raised her face to me and said，'O son of mine uncle，if thou soughtest my eye，I would tear it for thee from its eyelids，and perforce I cannot but aid thee to thy desire and aid her also to her desire；for she is whelmed in passion for thee even as thou for her.' Asked I，'And what is the interpretation of her signs？'；and Azizah answered，'As for the putting her finger in her mouth，[488] it showed that thou art to her as her soul to her body and that she would bite into union with thee with her wisdom teeth.As for the kerchief，it betokeneth that her breath of life is bound up in thee.As for the placing her two fingers on her bosom between her breasts，its explanation is that she saith；'The sight of thee may dispel my grief.' For know，O my cousin，that she loveth thee and she trusteth in thee.This is my interpretation of her signs and，could I come and go at Will，I would bring thee and her together in shortest time，and curtain you both with my skirt.' Hearing these words I thanked her （continued the young merchant） for speaking thus，and said to myself，'I will wait two days.' So I abode two days in the house，neither going out nor coming in；neither eating nor drinking but I laid my head on my cousin's lap，whilst she comforted me and said to me，'Be resolute and of good heart and hope for the best！'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say，When it was the One Hundred and Fourteenth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the youth pursued to Taj al-Muluk：--'And when the two days were past she said to me，'Be of good cheer and clear thine eyes of tears and take courage to dress thyself and go to her，according to thy tryst.' Then she rose and changed my clothes and perfumed me with incense smoke.So I braced myself up and heartened my heart and went out and walked on till I came to the by-street，where I sat down on the bench awhile.And behold，the wicket suddenly opened and I looked up and seeing her，fell down in a swoon.When I revived，I called up resolution and took courage and gazed again at her and again became insensible to the world around me.Then I came to myself and looking at her，saw that she held in hand a mirror and a red kerchief.Now when she caught my glance，she bared her forearms and opened her five fingers and smote her breast with palm and digits；and after this she raised her hands and，holding the mirror outside the wicket，she took the red kerchief and retired into the room with it，but presently returned and putting out her hand with the kerchief，let it down towards the lane three several times，dipping it and raising it as often.Then she wrung it out and folded it in her hands，bending down her head the while；after which she drew it in from the lattice and，shutting the wicket shutter，went away without a single word；nay，she left me confounded and knowing not what signified her signs.[489].I tarried sitting there till supper time and did not return home till near midnight；and there I found the daughter of my uncle with her cheek props in her hand and her eyelids pouring forth tears；and she was repeating these couplets，'Woe's me！ why should the blamer gar thee blaming bow？How be consoled for thee that art so tender bough？
Bright being！ on my vitals cost thou prey，and drive My heart before platonic passion's[490] force to bow.
Thy Turk like[491] glances havoc deal in core of me，As furbished sword thin ground at curve could never show：
Thou weigh's' me down with weight of care，while I have not Strength e'en to bear my shift，so weakness lays me low：
Indeed I weep blood tears to hear the blamer say；'The lashes of thy lover's eyne shall pierce thee through！'
Thou hast，my prince of loveliness！ an Overseer，[492Who wrongs me，and a Groom[493] who beats me down with brow.
He foully lies who says all loveliness belonged To Joseph，in thy loveliness is many a Joe：
I force myself to turn from thee，in deadly fright Of spies；and what the force that turns away my sight！'
When I heard her verse，cark increased and care redoubled on me and I fell down in a corner of our house；whereupon she arose in haste and，coming to me lifted me up and took off my outer clothes and wiped my face with her sleeve.Then she asked me what had befallen me，and I described all that had happened from her.Quoth she，'O my cousin，as for her sign to thee with her palm and five fingers its interpretation is，Return after five days；and the putting forth of her head out of the window，and her gestures with the mirror and the letting down and raising up and wringing out of the red kerchief，[494] signify，Sit in the dyer's shop till my messenger come to thee.' When I heard her words fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed，'O daughter of my uncle，thou sayest sooth in this thine interpretation；for I saw in the street the shop of a Jew dyer.'
