closets hidden, feeble and thin, with shrunken body and wasted
bones and indeed his colour was changed and his eyes sunken in
his face for lack of food and drink and for much weeping, by
reason of his love and longing for the young lady. When she saw
him in this plight, she was confounded and lost her wits; but
presently she questioned him of his case and what had befallen
him, saying, "Tell me what aileth thee, O my brother, that I may
contrive to do away thine affliction, and I will be thy
ransom!"[FN#64] Whereupon he wept with sore weeping and by way of
reply he began reciting,

"Lover, when parted from the thing he loves, * Has naught save
weary woe and bane to bear.
Inside is sickness, outside living lowe, * His first is fancy and
his last despair."

When his sister heard this, she marvelled at his eloquence and
loquent speech and his readiness at answering her in verse and
said to him, "O my brother, when didst thou fall into this thy
case and what hath betided thee, that I find thee speaking in
song and shedding tears that throng? Allah upon thee, O my
brother, and by the honest love which is between us, tell me what
aileth thee and discover to me thy secret, nor conceal from me
aught of that which hath befallen thee in our absence; for my
breast is straitened and my life is troubled because of thee."
He sighed and railed tears like rain, after which he said, "I
fear, O my sister, if I tell thee, that thou wilt not aid me to
win my wish but wilt leave me to die wretchedly in mine anguish."
She replied, "No, by Allah, O my brother, I will not abandon
thee, though it cost me my life!" So he told her all that had