She hesitated and said, “I do not know. I know only that my body is restless and comfortless when away from you. I know only that a mist rises before my eyes, and my knees are weak when you touch me. I used to hate myself for this and feared your touch for at that time all was straightforward and nothing quenched my joy, and I gloried only in my skill and litheness and being without fault. Now I know that your touch is sweet to me though it might bring me pain, yet I do not know if it would bring me joy if you did to me what you want to do, and perhaps afterward I would be sad. But if you were happy, then do not hesitate for your gladness is mine, and I desire nothing more than you to be glad.”
Loosening my embrace, I touched her hair and her eyes and her throat and said, “For me it is enough that you came here tonight as you were when we walked the roads of Babylon together. Give me the golden ribbon from your hair, that is enough for me, and I ask no more of you.”
She looked at me doubtfully, and smoothing her hands over her loins, she said, “I am perhaps too thin, and you fancy my body would give you no pleasure, and doubtless you would prefer a more frivolous woman than myself. But if you want, I will try to be as frivolous as I can and do everything as you wish so as not to disappoint you, and I would give you as much pleasure as I could.”
I smiled at her, stroked her smooth shoulders and said, “Minea, no woman is more beautiful to me than you are, and no one could give me greater joy, but I would not take you for my pleasure because it would not bring me joy when you are in distress for the sake of your god. I know of something we can do that would give happiness to us both. After the custom of my country, we will take a jar and break it between us. When we have done this, we are man and wife though I do not possess you and though there are no priests to witness it or write our names in the temple book. Let Kaptah bring us a jar, therefore, that we may perform this rite.”
Her eyes widened and shone in the moonlight, and she clapped her hands and smiled joyfully. And so I went to seek Kaptah, but found him sitting on the ground outside my door, rubbing his tear-stained face with the back of his hand, and when he saw me, he cried aloud. “What is it, Kaptah?” I asked. “Why do you cry?”
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He said unabashed, “My lord, I have a tender heart, and I could not restrain my tears when I heard all that you and that slender-hipped girl were saying in your room. Never in my life have I heard anything so moving.”
I kicked him angrily and said, “Do you mean you have been listening at the door and have heard all we said?” Kaptah said innocently, “That is what I mean, for other listeners were trespassing at your door who had no business with you but who came to spy on the girl. Therefore, I drove them away threatening them with your stick and sat by the door to guard your peace, thinking that you would not welcome a disturbance in the middle of this important conversation. As I sat here, I could not but hear what was said, and it was so beautiful, though quite childish, that I could not help crying.”
When he had so spoken, I could not be angry with him for all his simplicity and said only, “If you have been listening, you will know what I want. Hasten to fetch me a jar.” But he dragged on and said, “What manner of jar shall it be, my lord. Do you desire an earthenware jar or a stone one, painted or plain, tall or short, wide or narrow?”
I struck him with my stick, though not hard, for my heart was full of good will towards all humankind, and said, “You know well enough what I mean and that for my purpose any jar will do. Let us have no more dodging, but bring me quickly the first jar you can lay hands upon.”
He said, “I am already speedily on my way but spoke those words to give you time to consider what you are about. To break a jar with a woman is an important step in a man’s life, which should not be taken hastily or without due reflection. But of course I shall fetch the jar since you wish it, and I cannot prevent it.”
Kaptah brought us an old oil jar that smelt of fish, and we smashed it together, Minea and I. Kaptah was our witness when we became a husband and a wife, and Kaptah laid Minea’s foot upon his neck and said, “From this moment you are my mistress and will order me about as my lord does, and probably more, but I hope that you will not throw hot water over my feet when you are angry. Further, I hope that you use
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