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