Pagina 250 de 1116

The lady stopped at the door and, turning her face veil sideways,

knocked softly with her knuckles whilst the Porter stood behind

her, thinking of naught save her beauty and loveliness. Presently

the door swung back and both leaves were opened, whereupon he

looked to see who had opened it; and behold, it was a lady of

tall figure, some five feet high; a model of beauty and

loveliness, brilliance and symmetry and perfect grace. Her

forehead was flower white; her cheeks like the anemone ruddy

bright; her eyes were those of the wild heifer or the gazelle,

with eyebrows like the crescent moon which ends Sha'aban and

begins Ramazan;[FN#144] her mouth was the ring of

Sulayman,[FN#145] her lips coral red, and her teeth like a line

of strung pearls or of camomile petals.