一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第17章

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　fruit；　and　its　fragrance　heartens　him　who　plucks　it；　as　saith　the　poet　of　it：

　　Beholdst　not　the　lemon；　that；　whenas　on　high　It　shih；　for　brilliancy　dazzles　the　eye？
　　Meseemeth　as　if　'twere　a　hen's　egg；　indeed；　That　the　hand　of　the　huckster　with　saffron　doth　dye。　
Moreover　in　this　garden　were　all　manner　sweetscented　herbs　and　plants　and　fragrant　powers；　such　as　jessamine　and　henna　and　waterlilies　（42）　and　spikenard　and　roses　of　all　kinds　and　plaintain　and　myrtle　and　so　forth：　and　indeed　it　was　without　parallel；　seeming　as　it　were　a　piece　of　Paradise　to　him　who　beheld　it。　If　a　sick　man　entered　it；　he　came　forth　from　it　like　a　raging　lion；　and　the　tongue　availeth　not　to　its　description；　by　reason　of　that　which　was　therein　of　wonders　and　rarities　that　are　not　found　but　in　Paradise：　and　how　should　it　not　be　thus；　when　its　door　keeper's　name　was　Rizwan？　Though　widely　different　were　their　stations。

When　the　sons　of　the　merchants　had　walked　about　the　garden　and　taken　their　pleasure　therein　＇awhile＇；　they　sat　down　in　one　of　its　pavilions　and　seated　Noureddin　in　their　midst　on　a　rug　of　leather　of　Et　Taif；　（43）　embroidered　with　gold；　leaning　on　a　round　cushion　of　minever；　stuffed　with　ostrich　down。　And　they　gave　him　a　fan　of　ostrich　feathers　whereon　were　written　the　following　verses：　

　　A　fan；　whose　breath　is　fragrant；　it　calleth　aye　to　mind　The　days　of　joy　and　solace；　when　fortune　still　was　kind；
　　And　to　the　face　of　noble　and　freeborn　youths　restore　Their　sweetness　at　all　seasons；　with　its　perfumed　wind。　
Then　they　laid　by　their　turbans　and　＇upper＇　clothes　and　sat　talking　and　contending　with　one　another　in　discourse；　while　they　all　kept　their　eyes　fixed　on　Noureddin　and　gazed　on　his　beauty。　Presently；　up　came　a　slave　with　a　tray　on　his　head；　wherein　were　dishes　of　china　and　crystal　containing　meats　of　all　sorts；　whatever　walks　＇the　earth＇　or　wings　the　air　or　swims　the　waters；　such　as　grouse　and　quails　and　pigeons　and　mutton　and　chickens　and　the　most　delicate　of　fish；　for　one　of　the　young　men　had　given　the　people　of　his　house　a　charge　of　this；　before　ing　forth　to　the　garden。　So；　the　tray　being　set　before　them；　they　fell　to　and　ate　their　fill；　and　when　they　had　made　an　end　of　eating；　they　rose　from　meat　and　washed　their　hands　with　pure　water　and　soap　scented　with　musk；　and　dried　them　with　napkins　embroidered　with　silk　and　bugles；　but　to　Noureddin　they　brought　a　napkin　laced　with　red　gold；　on　which　he　wiped　his　hands。

Then　coffee　was　served　up　and　each　drank　what　he　would；　after　which　they　sat　talking；　till　presently　the　keeper　of　the　garden　went　away　and　returning　with　a　basket　full　of　roses；　said　to　them；　'What　say　ye　to　flo；　'They　are　wele；　（44）　especially　roses；　which　are　not　to　be　refused。'　'It　is　well；'　answered　the　gardener：　'but　it　is　of　our　wont　not　to　give　roses　but　in　exchange　for　some　contribution　to　the　general　amusement；　so　whoso　would　have　aught　thereof　let　him　recite　some　apposite　verses。'　Now　they　were　ten　in　number；　so　one　of　them　said；　'Agreed：　give　me　＇of　them＇；　and　I　will　recite　thee　somewhat　of　verse　apt　to　the　case。'　So　the　gardener　gave　him　a　bunch　of　roses　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　The　rose　I　honour　over　all；　Because　its　beauties　never　pall。
　　All　fragrant　flowers　are　troops　and　it　Their　Amir　most　majestical。
　　When　it's　away；　they're　proud；　but　if　It　e；　straightway　they　own　them　thrall。　
Then　he　gave　another　a　bunch　and　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Glory　to　thee　my　lord　the　rose！　The　scent　Of　musk　recalls　the　fragrance　thou　dost　shed。
　　Thou'rt　like　a　maid；　on　whom　her　lover　looks　And　with　her　sleeves　（45）　she　covers　up　her　head。　
Then　he　gave　a　third　a　bunch　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　A　precious　rose；　the　heart　of　man　it　gladdeh　with　its　sight；　Its　scent　the　best　of　ambergris　recalleth　to　the　spright。
　　The　branches　strain　it　in　its　leaves　for　joyance；　e'en　as　one　Kisseth　a　mouth　that　knoweth　nought　of　rigour　or　despite。　
Then　he　gave　a　fourth　a　bunch　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　Seest　not　the　rosebush　in　blossom？　Each　mounted　on　its　cane；　Full　many　a　marvel　it　holdeth；　that　ravish　heart　and　brain。
　　As　they　were　rubies　with　beryl　enpassed　about；　they　show；　And　each　in　the　midst　of　its　calyx　doth　somewhat　of　gold　contain。　
Then　he　gave　a　bunch　to　a　fifth　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　Wands　of　green　beryl　fruit　did　bear；　and　when　'twas　ripe；　behold；　As　ingots　to　the　sight　it　was　of　vegetable　gold。
　　Ay；　and　the　crystal　drops　that　fell　from　out　the　tender　leaves；　Meseemed；　were　like　to　very　tears　from　languorous　eyelids　rolled。　
Then　he　gave　a　sixth　a　bunch　and　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　O　rose；　thou　dost　all　charms　prise；　that　may　amuse　the　wit；　And　God　to　thee　the　pleasantest　of　secrets　doth　mit。
　　Meseems　as　if　a　loved　one's　cheek　it　were　and　eke　as　if　A　longing　lover　with　a　piece　of　gold　had　handselled　it。　（46）　
Then　he　gave　a　bunch　to　a　seventh　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　I　said　to　the　rose；　'What　ails　thy　thorns　to　be　So　swift　to　wound　and　hurt　all　those　that　touch　thy　charms？'
　　It　answered；　'All　the　flowers　my　soldiers　are；　in　sooth；　And　I　their　Sultan　am　and　these　my　thorns　my　arms。'　
And　he　gave　an　eighth　a　bunch　and　he　recited　the　following：

　　God　watch　o'er　a　rose　that's　grown　yellow　and　bright；　Resplendent；　pure　gold　as　it　were　to　the　sight；
　　And　guard　the　fair　boughs　that　have　borne　it；　to　boot；　With　the　mock　yellow　suns　of　its　flowerage　bedight！　
Then　he　gave　a　bunch　to　a　ninth　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　The　yellow　roses　stir　to　gladness　uncontrolled　The　heart　of　every　slave　of　passion；　young　or　old。
　　A　shrub　that；　strange　to　say；　is　water　given　to　drink　Of　silver　and　for　fruit；　bears　vegetable　gold！　
Then　he　gave　a　bunch　of　roses　to　the　tenth　and　last　and　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Seest　not　the　hosts　of　the　rose；　in　raiment　red　And　yellow　that　glitter　from　out　their　blossomingstead？
　　I　liken　the　yellow　rose；　with　its　thorn　therein；　To　an　emerald　lance；　through　a　golden　target　sped。　
Then　the　gardener　brought　the　wineservice　and　setting　it　before　them；　on　a　tray　of　porcelain　sprayed　with　red　gold；　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Dawn　heraldeth　the　light；　so　pour　me　out；　I　pray；　Of　wine；　such　wine　as　makes　the　faintesthearted　gay。
　　So　pure　and　bright　it　is；　that　whether　wine　in　cup　Or　cup　in　wine　be　held；　i'　faith；　'tis　hard　to　say。　
Then　he　filled　and　drank　and　the　cup　went　round；　till　it　came　to　Noureddin's　turn；　whereupon　the　gardener　filled　the　cup　and　handed　it　to　him；　but　he　said；　'I　know　not　this　thing　nor　have　I　ever　drunken　thereof；　for　therein　is　a　great　sin　and　the　Almighty　Lord　hath　forbidden　it　in　His　book。'　'O　my　lord　Noureddin；'　answered　the　gardener；　'if　thou　forbear　to　drink　only　by　reason　of　the　sin；　verily　God　（blessed　and　exalted　be　He！）　is　bountiful；　mild；　fiving　and　passionate　and　pardoh　the　greatest　sins。　His　mercy　embraceth　all　things　and　be　it　upon　the　poet　who　says：

　　Be　as　thou　wilt　and　banish　dread　and　care；　For　God　is　bountiful　and　debonair；
　　So　of　two　things；　the　doing　hurt　to　men　And　giving　God　a　partner；　thou　beware。'　
Then　said　one　of　the　sons　of　the　merchants；　'My　life　on　thee；　O　my　lord　Noureddin；　drink　of　this　cup！'　And　another　conjured　him　by　the　oath　of　divorce　and　yet　another　stood　before　him；　till　he　was　ashamed　and　taking　the　cup　from　the　gardener；　drank　a　mouthful；　but　spat　it　out　again；　saying；　'It　is　bitter。'　'O　my　lord　Noureddin；'　said　the　gardener；　'knowest　thou　not　that　the　sweetest　things；　when　taken　by　way　of　medicine；　are　bitter？　Were　this　not　bitter；　it　would　lack　of　the　＇many＇　virtues　it　possesseth；　amongst　which　are　that　it　digesteth　food　and　doth　away　care　and　anxiety　and　dispelleth　vapours　and　clarifieth　the　blood　and　cleareth　the　plexion　and　enliveh　the　body　and　hearteh　the　poltroon　and　fortifieth　the　sexual　power；　but　to　name　all　its　virtues　would　be　tedious。　Quoth　one　of　the　poets：

　　We'll　drink；　for　God　His　clemency　enpasseth　the　soul　On　every　side：　I　medicine　my　ailments　with　the　bowl；
　　And　nought　（for　well　I　know　its　sin）　save　God　His　saw；　'Therein　Are　for　the　folk　advantages；'　（47）　doth　me　thereto　cajole。　
Then　he　opened　one　of　the　cupboards　there　and　taking　out　a　loaf　of　reined　sugar；　broke　of　a　great　piece；　which　h