Some time ago I chanced to go into the country, by way of amusement, with some friends. Suddenly from the edge of a forest appeared an antelope, playful as the fawn-like eyes of ogling damsels, untamed and self-admiring. She fear­lessly approached nearer to us, browsing the verdure and flowers. Seeing this, I, with the speed of the western gale, made suddenly towards her; when she, with the rapidity of lightning, taking the way of the plain, began to bound on the enamelled green. I also, giving full rein to my wind-speeding courser, pursued after her; and being soon separated from my companions, shortly entered a wild, where the scent of population had never gratified the sense of expectation. From the violence of his running, and the intense heat, large drops of moisture, like falling meteors, trickled from my gale-equalling and crescent-shoed steed, which made the surface of the ground appear like the heavenly expanse, full of fixed stars. Accidentally, his feet sinking into a hollow, he fell upon his head, and I, like a ball put in motion by the force of a mace, was hurled headlong from the sky to the earth. I felt exquisite torture from the blow, and feared that the foot of life had sunk into the pit of death, and the veins of existence been torn asunder; but as my share of borrowed animation was yet remaining, I escaped with a bad sprain. When, with an hun­dred painful efforts, I got up, and tried my strength, I found not in myself suf­ficient ability, without help of another’s hand, to reach my saddle. Remediless, I lay some time upon the ground, and endeavoured to collect myself; till at length the globe of my head, which, like the concave of the sky, resounded, recovered its usual tone.

At this crisis, a matron of advanced age, whose strength the weakness of years had subdued, and whose back was bent with debility, like the arched eyebrow of the moon-like damsels, the thread of the pearls of her teeth unstrung, and upon the surface of whose forehead time, like the breeze upon water, had waved wrinkles, advanced by the aid of a staff. From excessive feebleness, her feet yielded to the unevenness of the ground, and she advanced, sinking and rising like the dying gale. I, at view of her figure, was overwhelmed in the eddy of amaze­ment, and became much alarmed; for in this wilderness, the haunt of wild beasts, to meet in which the human form never entered my imagination, and where lion­hearted heroes would tremble like the reed, what business could a female with such debility and feebleness have? I thought she might possibly be a ghole,* disguised in this form; or a demon, who had taken this shape; but that, anyhow, her person was not free from mischief. When she came nearer, from my great dread I arose to compliment her, used much ceremony, and flatteringly entered the path of soothing and adulation.

The venerable matron, when she observed my condition, advanced tenderly like a mother; and shewing a sympathy and compassion beyond expression, enquired my situation. Upon which I, who was sunk into the pit of distress and bewildered in the labyrinth of amaze­ment, nor could anyhow turn my face to escape, from her invaluable kindness collected my senses, and fixing the hand of hope on the veil of her good offices, informed her of my adventure. With all my heroism and valour, I begged help in my sad condition from the age-bowed dame, and requested her to be my guide in escaping from this frightful desart, abounding in destruction.

The matron, who, in resolution and firmness of mind, was superior to an hun­dred heroes, like the brave of humane disposition, took me by the hand, and, like Khizzer,* becoming my guide, and freeing me from that wilderness of gloom, conducted me to the fountain of safety. In that dreary wild, this aged dame possessed a cottage, constructed with neatness, elegance, and soul-refresh­ing beauty, on the border of a stream, whose pellucid water was as the fountain of Khizzer to the parched lip, and Tunseem and Kosir* inferior to it in sweetness. She had erected a structure of reeds, which glanced the smile of superiority on the palaces of Cæsar and Fughfoor.* In view, was a spot like the plain of Paradise, and fragrant and delightful as the garden of Irim. Variety of flowers were blooming in it, and melodious birds sat on every spray.

To this paradisical spot she brought me; and, after the manner of liberal hosts, generous and kind, engaged in the duties of entertainment and rules of hospitality. Whatever of eatables and drinkables she could procure, she pre­pared; and, in the manner of the benevolent, letting loose the parrot of speech in the sugar-cane plantation of eloquence, said, “Although this widowed cot cannot be worthy of the abode of such an honourable personage as yourself, yet, as by the happy auspices of your ennobling footsteps it has been distinguished, and my consequence thus encreased in the world; if, out of compassion to the humble, you should honour the cottage of this desolate widow for a few days, and place your foot upon my eyes—”

I, who had just escaped from such a life-destroying wild, and haply reached this heaven-like abode, and been refreshed from the countless hospitalities of this heroic female, received new life. Having, in gratitude for such unhoped for blessings, offered up with all the fervour in my power, proper thanksgiv­ings and prayers at the throne of the Bestower who looks not for return, I prayed for the virtuous and devout matron.

Although my heart was much trou­bled by absence from home, and separa­tion from my friends; allured by the temperature of such an Irim-envied spot the clearness of the streams, the fresh­ness of the verdure, and the fragrance of the flowers and shrubs, I took up my abode in this heaven-like place. The virtuous matron having spread her suj­jadeh* in a recess of the garden, employed herself in her devotions to the Almighty. I was rapt in wonder at beholding the conduct of this pure and truth-discerning woman, who, in the weakness and imbecility of age, chusing separation from mankind, and in search of the divine Unity, (for which retire­ment is indispensible) sat on the couch of resignation.

When that glorious worshipper the sun had descended into the temple of the West, and the expanse of the world was illumined by the radiance of the moon, a beautiful maiden, whose musk-like tresses fluttered in artless ringlets around her roseate cheeks, on her head the wreath of enchantment inclining fan­cifully, and the dark curve of her eye­brow expanded as the aspect of the vir­tuous, advanced. She brought with her a heifer, more exactly proportioned than the musk-deer. The matron, when she perceived her, shewed the signs of gladness in her countenance; and having gone to meet her, kissed her forehead, and seated her on a reed-woven musnud, far more delicate than a thousand coverings of silk brocade. She then produced her hermit-like provision, and having milked the cow, gave part to me, some to the beautiful maiden, and drank a very little herself. As I sat in this hut with the angel-faced damsel, without the intervention of a curtain, and beheld her fascinating charms with­out a veil, my heart was entangled in the snare of her dark tresses, and the bird of my soul became a captive in the net of her glossy ringlets. From excess of anxiety, sleep the whole night was a stranger to my eyes.

When the virgin* of the heavens, having drawn from her face the dark veil of night, was ushered with dawning splendour on the court of the world, according to custom, the rose-cheeked daughter having arisen, took the cow to pasture; and the matron, sitting alone upon her sujjadeh, was employed in her devotions.

I advanced towards the mother, and without ceremony enquired the reason why, in such advanced age and infirmity, she had retired from society, taken up her residence in this sequestered spot, and habituated herself to solitude? I also asked whose daughter was the charm­ing maiden her companion? The angel-minded matron opened her lips in reply, and said, “My son, I am a woman who, regarding God as all in all, have estranged my heart from the enjoy­ments of a perishable world, and fixed the contemplations of my mind on the sole Supreme. As virtue was no longer beheld among the sons of this age, I from necessity quitted their connection; and, disgusted with populous places, chose my abode in this wild.”

“This maiden is my son’s daugh­ter. Her father quitted this perishable world in the vigour of youth, and her mother is also departed to the regions of eternity.”

I replied, “My kind mother, from the influence of thy gracious aspira­tions, the divine grace has befriended me, till now wandering in the mazes of guilt; and I wish, in order to attain the virtues of true piety, to follow your example, and never after this to behold the scene of population. By your gracious and auspicious society, haply I may be blessed with the rewards of futurity. I hope, out of favour and compassion, you will take me by the hand, and adopt me as a son; also according to the laws of Islaam give me in marriage this bloom­ing shoot of the shrub of purity, as by such a favour you would exalt the head of my honour to the summit of the heavens. Her marrying is a duty indispensible, and according to divine command, the performance of it binding on your trust. To use the means of its accomplishment is proper. Distinguish me by the union, because another man cannot be found of such fidelity and attachment. At present the feebleness of age has visited you, and life is drawing to its close. I will serve you day and night as a common and obeying slave, and bow the head of submission to your orders.”

The good matron, having tinged the fingers of the bride of my request with the Hinna* of acceptance, and adorned the aspect of the charmer of my wishes with the bloom of gratification, made me rich in the treasures of delight, by the band of union with that invaluable pearl of the ocean of beauty. After some days, the marriage ceremonies and nup­tial rites being accomplished, she honoured me with a seat on the same couch as that radiant moon. Long did I abide with happiness of mind in that wild, the envy of the rose-garden; and quaffed delight in the blissful company and society of that Hoori-formed charmer.

The modesty and purity of this bril­liant pearl of the sea of beauty and deli­cacy were such, that lest her charms should be injured by a glance from the resplendent beams, she would not walk in the enclosure of her house in a moon-light night. From bashfulness and modesty, she would not look in my face with bold­ness and freedom. As God had united in her an amiable disposition, beauty, and virtue, and bestowed upon her personal and mental perfection, I could scarcely contain myself from exultation, and esteemed an instant of her society superior to the rule of seven climates, or the command of the four habitable quarters of the globe. Doubtless there cannot be to man an higher blessing than a beauti­ful wife, jasmine bodied, resplendent as the moon; gentle, good humoured, and chearful; understanding her duty, skilled in domestic management, sensible, benevolent, adorned with the ornaments of purity, and graced with the jewels of virtue.

At length, after some years, the angel-dispositioned matron, having quitted this vain world, retired to the mansions of eternity; and having cleared her vest from the defilements of this sinful abode, gathered the fruits of bliss from the branches of Tooba.* From the separa­tion of that gracer of the throne of female perfection, my condition became sad; and without her estimable presence, the flowering shrubs of the paradise-like garden of this heavenly spot became irksome to my mind. Remediless, unable to bear the residence, according to my former habits, I repaired to the haunts of man; and quitting the coun­try for the city, engaged in general society.