64 
The Wages of Sin. 
 
 
 
XII 
 
THE APPLES 
 
 
In my garden are seven kinds of apples1 ;  and 
there are seven kinds of louse2 on the once velvet 
buttocks of my Habib. 
The smooth whiteness is now become a red 
roughness ;  he is spotted like a leper. 
He is no more fit for the desire of a clean 
man ;  even 
his 
seducers, 
the 
black-skinned 
swine !  having found a boy with tulip cheeks and 
coralline ;  and a bosom of jessamine ;  and eye-
brows like Karenian3 bows for beauty of line ;  and 
breath like wine ;  and buttocks fair and firm and 
fine ;  and a podex like a ruby mine ;  have cast him 
off.4  Until Shahrava5 return he will no more pass 
current.  Let him buy a dildo, for his cry for mem-
bers is ceaseless as the jackal’s ! 
Nay !  But come to me, Habib !  I will cherish thee 
as my life ;  I will take thee in my garden and love 
thee ever as of old.  El Qahar will make new songs 
for thee, till thy fame standeth for ever among men, 
as the sun standeth in the sky, not to be denied.6  
So sayeth El Qahar. 
 
 
 
1.  Often the case in Persia. 
2.  Often the case in Persia. 
3.  Karenian — proverbial expression.  (Write this 
up fully).  (Major Lutiy did not live long enough to 
accomplish this intention and we cannot trace the 
phrase.  Possibly it is more Indian than Persian.)