The Scented Garden

72 The Pains and Pleasures of Redemption. XV THE COMPLAISANCES It is a pleasure to be thy tutor,1 Habib ; thou learnest swiftly, and (I think) wilt not soon for- get. When thou camest in to me at night thou wast all in tears ; and clasping my feet didst moan exceedingly, and beseech pity. Yet when I smote thy buttocks with the whip, bidding thee be cheerful, thou didst rise instant with laughter and smiles. Thou didst put on thy old provoking coquetry ; though for many days thou hadst drunk nothing but water, thou didst comport thyself as one in whom the wine first blu- sheth.2 Also when my love revived for thee a little, thou didst not immodestly thrust out thy buttocks, and show bare a gaping and hungry podex. On the contrary, thou wast like a young girl, and there was much shame when thy hand led the camel to the well.3 Also there was embarrassment for thee when I bade thee act as thou didst act with thy Nu- bian ; since if thou didst too well, I should re- proach thee with wantonness ; but if ill, with cold- ness. So I praise thee that thou didst murmur that “ Allah hath neither equal, son, nor compa- nion4 ; how wilt thou, master, that I act with thee ? ” Then I forgave thee, and love utterly revived, so that, calling for wine, we debauched together for three days and nights. The debauch exceeded even all that I have ever done with thee or anoth- er.5