When she had finished， she turned and seeing me， wiped away her tears and mine with her sleeve. Then she smiled in my face and said， "O my cousin， God grant thee joy of that which He hath given thee！ Why didst thou not pass the night with thy beloved and why hast thou not fulfilled thy desire of her？" When I heard what she said， I gave her a kick in the breast and she fell over on to the edge of the estrade and struck her forehead against a peg there. I looked at her and saw that her forehead was cut open and the blood running； but she was silent and did not utter a syllable. She made some tinder of rags and staunching the wound with it， 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 happened. Then she came up to me and smiling in my face， said， with gentle speech， "By Allah， O my cousin， I had it not in my thought to mock at thee or at her！ I was troubled with a pain in my head and thought to be let blood， but now thou hast eased my head and brow； so tell me what has befallen thee to-day." So I told her what had passed and she wept and said， "O my cousin， rejoice in the near fulfilment of thy desire and the attainment of thy hopes. Verily， this is a sign of acceptance；
she only stayed away， because she wished to try thee and know if thou wert patient and sincere in thy love for her or not.
To-morrow， do thou go to her at the old place and note what signs she makes to thee； for indeed thy gladness is near and the end of thy grief is at hand." And she went on to comfort me； but my trouble and affliction ceased not to increase on me. Presently，she brought me food， but I kicked the dishes away， so that their contents were scattered in all directions， and said， "Every lover is a madman； he inclines not to food neither enjoys sleep." "By Allah， O my cousin，" answered she， "these are indeed the signs of love！" And the tears streamed down her cheeks， whilst she gathered the fragments of the dishes and wiped up the food； then she sat down by me and talked to me， whilst I prayed God to hasten the coming of the day. When， at last， the morning arose with its light and shone， I went out and hastening to the by-street in question， sat down on the bench， when behold， the wicket opened and she put out her head， laughing. Then she went in and returned with a mirror， a bag， a pot of flowering plants and a lamp. First， she took the mirror and putting it into the bag， tied it up and threw it back into the room； after which she let down her hair over her face and set the lamp an instant on the pot of flowers； then took up all the things and shutting the window， went away， without saying a word. My heart was tortured by her obscure signs and mysterious gestures， and passion and distraction redoubled on me. So I retraced my steps， tearful-eyed and mournful-hearted， and returning home， found Azizeh sitting，with her face to the wall； for her heart was on fire for grief and anxiety and jealousy； albeit the love she bore me forbade her to acquaint me with what she suffered， by reason of what she saw of the excess of my passion and distraction （for another）. I looked at her and saw that she had two bandages on her head， one on account of the wound on her forehead， and the other over her eye， which pained her for excess of weeping； and she was in very sorry plight， weeping and repeating the following verses：
I count the nights， night after night， the weary nights and slow；
Yet would I， once upon a time， unreckoned let them go.
I have no knowledge， O my friend， of that which God ordains Of Leila or what He decrees to me， but this I know He to another her adjudged and cursed me with her love： So hath He not afflicted me with other than her woe.
