一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第25章

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this；　she　said　to　him　one　day；　'O　my　lord；　when　thou　sellest　the　girdle　tomorrow；　buy　me　silk　of　six　colours　with　its　price；　for　I　have　a　mind　to　make　thee　a　kerchief　to　wear　on　thy　shoulders；　such　as　never　son　of　merchant；　no；　nor　king's　son；　ever　rejoiced　in　its　fellow。'　So　next　day　he　brought　her　what　she　aught　and　she　wrought　at　the　kerchief　a　whole　week；　for；　every　night；　when　she　had　made　an　end　of　the　girdle；　she　would　work　awhile　at　the　kerchief。　When　it　was　finished；　she　gave　it　to　Noureddin；　who　put　it　on　his　shoulders　and　went　out　to　walk　in　the　market；　whilst　all　the　merchants　and　people　and　notables　of　the　town　crowded　about　him；　to　gaze　on　his　beauty　and　that　of　the　kerchief。

One　night；　after　this；　he　awoke　from　sleep　and　found　Meryem　weeping　passing　sore　and　reciting　the　following　verses：

　　The　severance　of　friends　draws　near　and　nearer　aye：　Alas　for　severance！　Alas；　the　parting　day！
　　My　heart　is　rent　in　twain；　and　O　my　grief　for　those　The　nights　of　our　delight　that　now　are　past　away！
　　Needs　must　the　envier　look　on　us　with　evil　eye　And　e　to　his　desire　of　that　he　doth　essay；
　　For　nought　can　irk　us　more　than　envy　and　the　eyes　Of　backbiters　and　spies；　nor　work　us　more　dismay。　
'O　my　lady　Meryem；'　said　he；　'what　ails　thee　to　weep？'　'I　weep　for　the　anguish　of　parting；'　answered　she；　'for　my　heart　forebodes　me　thereof。'　Quoth　he；　'O　lady　of　fair　ones；　and　who　shall　part　us；　seeing　that　I　love　and　tender　thee　above　all　creatures？'　And　she　replied；　'And　I　love　thee　twice　as　well　as　thou　me；　but　＇blind＇　confidence　in　fortune　still　causes　folk　fall　into　affliction；　and　right　well　saith　the　poet：

　　Thou　thoughtest　well　of　Fate；　whilst　yet　the　days　for　thee　were　fair；　And　fearedst　not　the　unknown　ills　that　destiny　might　bring。
　　The　nights　were　calm　and　safe　for　thee；　thou　wast　deceived　by　them；　For　in　the　peace　of　night　betides　full　many　a　troublous　thing。
　　Lo；　in　the　skies　are　many　stars；　no　one　can　tell　their　tale；　But　to　the　sun　and　moon　alone　eclipse　brings　darkening。
　　The　earth　bears　many　a　pleasant　herb　and　many　a　plant　and　tree；　But　none　is　stoned　save　only　that　to　which　the　fair　fruits　cling。
　　Seest　not　the　sea　and　how　the　waifs　float　up　upon　the　foam？　But　in　its　deepest　depths　of　blue　the　pearls　have　sojourning。　
O　my　lord　Noureddin；'　added　she；　'if　thou　desire　to　avert　separation；　be　on　thy　guard　against　a　swartvisaged；　bushybearded　old　Frank；　blind　of　the　right　eye　and　lame　of　the　left　leg；　for　he　it　is　who　will　be　the　cause　of　our　separation。　I　saw　him　enter　the　city　＇today＇　and　methinks　he　is　e　hither　in　quest　of　me。'　'O　lady　of　fair　ones；'　replied　Noureddin；　'if　my　eyes　light　on　him；　I　will　slay　him　and　make　an　example　of　him。'　'O　my　lord；'　rejoined　she；　'slay　him　not；　but　talk　not　nor　trade　with　him；　neither　buy　nor　sell　with　him　nor　sit　nor　walk　with　him　nor　speak　one　word　to　him；　no；　not　even　to　make　the　prescribed　answer；　（78）　and　I　pray　God　to　keep　us　from　his　craft　and　mischief！'

Next　morning；　Noureddin　carried　the　girdle　to　the　market；　where　he　sat　down　on　a　bench　before　a　shop　and　talked　with　the　young　merchants；　till　drowsiness　overcame　him　and　he　lay　down　on　the　bench　and　fell　asleep。　Presently；　up　came　the　Frank　whom　the　damsel　had　described　to　him；　in　pany　of　seven　others；　and　seeing　Noureddin　lying　asleep　on　the　bench；　with　his　head　wrapped　in　the　kerchief　which　Meryem　had　made　him　and　the　end　thereof　in　his　hand；　sat　down　by　him　and　took　the　end　of　the　kerchief　in　his　hand　and　examined　it。　This　disturbed　Noureddin　and　he　awoke　and　seeing　the　very　man　sitting　by　him　of　whom　Meryem　had　warned　him；　cried　out　at　him　with　a　great　cry；　that　startled　him。　Quoth　the　Frank；　'What　ails　thee　to　cry　out　thus　at　us？　Have　we　taken　aught　from　thee？'　'By　Allah；　O　accursed　one；'　replied　Noureddin；　'hadst　thou　taken　aught　from　me；　I　would　hale　thee　before　the　master　of　police！'

Then　said　the　Frank；　'O　Muslim；　I　conjure　thee　by　thy　faith　and　by　that　in　which　thou　believest；　tell　me　whence　thou　hadst　that　kerchief。'　And　Noureddin　answered；　'It　is　the　handiwork　of　my　mother；　who　made　it　for　me　with　her　own　hand。'　'Wilt　thou　sell　it　to　me？'　asked　the　Frank。　'By　Allah；　O　accursed　one；'　replied　Noureddin；　'I　will　not　sell　it　to　thee　nor　to　any　other；　for　she　made　none　other　than　it。'　'Sell　it　to　me；'　repeated　the　Frank；　'and　I　will　give　thee　to　its　price　eve　hundred　dinars　ready　money；　and　let　her　who　made　it　make　thee　another　and　handsomer。'　But　Noureddin　said；　'I　will　not　sell　it　at　all；　for　there　is　not　the　like　of　it　in　this　city。'　'O　my　lord；'　insisted　the　Frank；　'wilt　thou　sell　it　for　six　hundred　dinars　of　fine　gold？'　And　he　went　on　to　add　to　his　offer　hundred　by　hundred；　till　he　bid　nine　hundred　dinars；　but　Noureddin　said；　'God　will　provide　me　otherwise　than　by　my　selling　it。　I　will　never　sell　it；　no；　not　for　two　thousand　dinars　nor　more　than　that。'

Then　the　Frank　went　on　to　tempt　him　with　money；　till　he　bid　him　a　thousand　dinars；　and　the　merchants　present　said；　'We　sell　thee　the　kerchief　at　that　price：　pay　down　the　money。'　Quoth　Noureddin；　'By　Allah；　I　will　not　sell　it！'　But　one　of　the　merchants　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　the　worth　of　this　kerchief　is　a　hundred　dinars　at　most　and　that　to　an　eager　purchaser；　and　if　this　Frank　pay　thee　down　a　thousand　for　it；　thy　profit　will　be　nine　hundred　dinars；　and　what　profit　canst　thou　desire　greater　than　that？　Wherefore　it　is　my　counsel　that　thou　sell　him　the　kerchief　at　that　price　and　gain　nine　hundred　dinars　by　this　accursed　Frank；　the　enemy　of　God　and　of　the　faith；　and　bid　her　who　wrought　it　make　thee　other　or　handsomer　than　it。'

Noureddin　was　abashed　at　the　merchants　and　sold　the　kerchief　to　the　Frank；　who；　in　their　presence；　paid　him　down　the　thousand　dinars；　with　which　he　would　have　returned　to　Meryem；　to　tell　her　what　had　passed；　but　the　stranger　said；　'Harkye；　O　pany　of　merchants；　stop　my　lord　Noureddin；　for　you　and　he　are　my　guests　this　night。　I　have　a　pitcher　of　old　Greek　wine　and　a　fat　lamb　and　fruit　and　flowers　and　confections；　wherefore　needs　must　ye　all　cheer　me　with　your　pany　tonight　and　not　one　of　you　tarry　behind。'　So　the　merchants　said　to　Noureddin；　'O　my　lord　Noureddin；　we　desire　that　thou　be　with　us　on　the　like　of　this　night；　so　we　may　talk　together；　we　and　thou；　and　we　pray　thee；　of　thy　favour；　to　bear　us　pany；　so　we　may　be；　we　and　thou；　the　guests　of　this　Frank；　for　he　is　a　hospitable　man。'　And　they　conjured　him　by　the　oath　of　divorce　and　hindered　him　by　force　from　going　home。

Then　they　rose　forthright　and　shutting　up　their　shops　took　Noureddin　and　went　with　the　Frank；　who　brought　them　to　a　goodly　and　spacious　saloon；　wherein　were　two　estrades。　Here　he　made　them　sit　and　laid　before　them　＇a　tray　covered　with＇　a　scarlet　cloth　of　rare　and　goodly　workmanship；　wroughten　in　gold　with　figures　of　breaker　and　broken；　lover　and　beloved；　asker　and　asked；　whereon　he　set　precious　vessels　of　porcelain　and　crystal；　full　of　the　costliest　fruits　and　flowers　and　confections；　and　brought　them　a　pitcher　of　old　Greek　wine。　Then　he　manded　to　slaughter　a　fat　lamb　and　kindling　fare；　proceeded　to　roast　of　its　flesh　and　feed　the　merchants　therewith　and　give　them　to　drink　of　the　wine；　winking　them　the　while　to　ply　Noureddin　with　liquor。　So　they　plied　him　with　wine　till　he　became　drunken　and　took　leave　of　his　wits；　which　when　the　Frank　saw；　he　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord　Noureddin；　thou　gladdenest　us　with　thy　pany　tonight：　wele；　a　thousand　times　wele　to　thee！'

Then　he　drew　near　unto　him　and　dissembled　with　him　awhile　in　talk；　till　he　＇found　his　opportunity　and＇　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　wilt　thou　sell　me　thy　slavegirl；　whom　thou　boughtest　a　year　ago　for　a　thousand　dinars；　in　presence　of　these　merchants？　I　will　give　thee　five　thousand　dinars　for　her　and　thou　wilt　thus　make　four　thousand　dinars　profit。'　Noureddin　refused　but　the　Frank　ceased　not　to　ply　him　with　meat　and　drink　and　tempt　him　with　money；　still　adding　to　his　offers；　till　he　bid　him　ten　thousand　dinars　for　her；　whereupon　Noureddin；　in　his　drunkenness；　said；　in　the　presence　of　the　merchants；　'I　sell　her　to　thee　for　ten　thousand　dinars；　hand　over　the　money。'　At　this　the　Frank　rejoiced　mightily　and　took　the　merchants　to　witness　of　the　sale。

They　passed　the　night　in　eating　and　drinking　and　maki