一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第29章

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not　here　a　moment；　lest　thou　lose　thy　life。'　Quoth　he；　'What　is　to　do；　O　my　mother？'　And　she　answered；　'Know；　O　my　son；　that　the　king's　daughter；　the　Princess　Meryem；　hath　a　mind　to　visit　the　church　today；　to　seek　a　blessing　thereof　and　to　make　oblation　thereto；　by　way　of　thankoffering　for　her　deliverance　from　the　land　of　the　Muslims　and　in　fulfilment　of　the　vows　she　made　to　the　Messiah；　so　he　would　deliver　her。　With　her　are　four　hundred　damsels；　not　one　of　whom　but　is　perfect　in　beauty　and　grace；　and　they　will　be　here　forthwith；　and　if　their　eyes　fall　on　thee；　they　will　hew　thee　in　pieces　with　swords。'

So　Noureddin　took　the　ten　dirhems　and　donning　his　own　clothes；　went　out　to　the　market　and　walked　about　the　city；　till　he　knew　its　highways　and　gates；　after　which　he　returned　to　the　church　and　saw　the　Princess　Meryem　e　up；　attended　by　four　hundred　damsels；　highbosomed　maids　like　moons；　amongst　whom　was　the　daughter　of　the　oneeyed　vizier　and　those　of　the　amirs　and　grandees　of　the　realm；　and　she　walked　in　their　midst　as　she　were　the　moon　among　the　stars。　When　he　saw　her；　he　could　not　contain　himself　but　cried　out　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　saying；　'O　Meryem！　O　Meryem！'　Which　when　the　damsels　heard；　they　ran　at　him　with　shining　swords　like　flashes　of　lightning　and　would　have　killed　him　forthright。　But　the　princess　turned　and　looking　on　him；　knew　him　but　too　well　and　said　to　her　maidens；　'Leave　this　youth；　doubtless　he　is　mad；　for　the　signs　of　madness　appear　on　his　face。'

When　Noureddin　heard　this；　he　uncovered　his　head　and　made　signs　with　his　hands　and　twisted　his　legs；　rolling　his　eyes　and　foaming　at　the　mouth。　'Did　I　not　tell　you　he　was　mad？'　said　the　princess。　'Bring　him　to　me　and　stand　off　from　him；　that　I　may　hear　what　he　saith；　for　I　know　the　speech　of　the　Arabs　and　will　look　into　his　case　and　see　if　his　madness　be　curable　or　not。'　So　they　laid　hold　of　him　and　brought　him　to　her；　after　which　they　withdrew　to　a　distance　and　she　said　to　him；　'Hast　thou　e　hither　on　my　account　and　ventured　thy　life　and　feignest　thyself　mad？'　'O　my　lady；'　answered　he；　'hast　thou　not　heard　the　saying　of　the　poet：

　　Quoth　they；　〃Thou'rt　surely　raving　mad　for　her　thou　lov'st；〃　and　I；　〃There　is　no　pleasantness　in　life　but　for　the　mad；〃　reply。
　　〃pare　my　madness　with　herself　for　whom　I　rave；　if　she　Accord　therewith；　then　blame　me　not　for　that　which　I　aby。〃'　
'By　Allah；　O　Noureddin；'　rejoined　she；　'thou　hast　sinned　against　thyself；　for　I　warned　thee　of　this　before　it　fell　out；　yet　wouldst　thou　not　hearken　to　me；　but　followedst　thine　own　inclinations；　albeit　that　whereof　I　gave　thee　to　know　I　learnt　not　by　means　of　divination　nor　augury　nor　dreams；　but　by　eyewitness　and　very　sight；　for　I　saw　the　oneeyed　vizier　and　knew　that　he　was　not　e　to　Alexandria　but　in　quest　of　me。'　'O　my　lady　Meryem；'　replied　he；　'we　seek　refuge　with　God　from　the　error　of　the　intelligent！'　（83）　Then　his　affliction　redoubled　on　him　and　he　recited　these　verses：

　　Pardon　his　fault　whose　slipping　feet　caused　bite　in　error　fall；　And　let　the　master's　clemency　embrace　his　erring　thrall。
　　All　that　an　evildoer　can　is　to　repent　his　fault；　Although　too　late　repentance　e　to　profit　him　at　all。
　　Lo；　by　confession　I　have　done　what　courtesy　requires：　Where　then　is　that　for　which　good　grace　and　generous　mercy　call？　
And　they　ceased　not　from　lovers'　chiding；　which　to　set　out　would　be　tedious；　relating　to　each　other　that　which　had　befallen　them　and　reciting　verses　and　making　moan；　one　to　the　other；　of　the　violence　of　passion　and　the　pangs　of　longing　and　desire；　whilst　the　tears　ran　down　their　cheeks　like　rivers；　till　there　was　left　them　no　strength　to　say　a　word。　Now　the　princess　was　clad　in　a　green　dress；　inwoven　with　red　gold　and　broidered　with　pearls　and　jewels；　which　added　to　her　beauty　and　grace；　and　right　well　saith　the　poet　of　her：

　　Like　the　full　moon　she　shih　in　garments　all　of　green；　With　loosened　vest　and　collars　and　flowing　hair　beseen。
　　'What　is　thy　name？'　I　asked　her；　and　she　replied；　'I'm　she　Who　roasts　the　hearts　of　lovers　on　coals　of　love　and　teen。
　　I　am　the　pure　white　silver；　ay；　and　the　gold　wherewith　The　bondmen　from　strait　prison　and　dour　released　been。'
　　Quoth　I；　'I'm　all　with　rigours　consumed；'　but　'On　a　rock；'　Said　she；　'such　as　my　heart　is；　thy　plaints　are　wasted　clean。'
　　'Even　if　thy　heart；'　I　answered；　'be　rock　in　very　deed；　Yet　hath　God　caused　fair　water　well　from　the　rock；　I　ween。'　
They　abode　thus　till　the　day　departed　and　night　darkened　on　them；　when　Meryem　went　up　to　her　women　and　said　to　them；　'Have　ye　locked　the　door？'　And　they　answered；　'We　have　locked　it。'　So　she　took　them　and　went　with　them　to　a　place　called　the　Chapel　of　the　Lady　Mary　the　Virgin；　Mother　of　Light；　because　the　Christians　pretend　that　her　heart　and　soul　are　there。　The　girls　betook　themselves　to　prayer　and　worship　and　made　the　round　of　all　the　church；　and　when　they　had　made　an　end　of　their　visitation；　the　princess　said　to　them；　'I　desire　to　pass　the　night　alone　in　the　Virgin's　chapel　and　seek　a　blessing　thereof；　for　that　yearning　thereafter　hath　betided　me；　by　reason　of　my　long　absence　in　the　land　of　the　Muslims：　and　as　for　you；　when　ye　have　made　an　end　of　your　visitation；　do　ye　sleep　where　ye　will。'　'Be　it　as　thou　wilt；'　replied　they；　and　leaving　her　alone　in　the　chapel；　dispersed　about　the　church　and　slept。

The　lady　Meryem　waited　till　they　were　out　of　sight　and　hearing；　then　went　in　search　of　Noureddin；　whom　she　found　sitting　on　coals　of　fire　in　a　corner；　awaiting　her。　He　rose　and　kissed　her　hands　and　she　sat　down　and　made　him　sit　by　her　side。　Then　she　pulled　off　all　that　was　upon　her　of　clothes　and　ornaments　and　fine　linen　and　taking　Noureddin　in　her　arms；　strained　him　to　her　bosom。　And　they　ceased　not　from　kissing　and　clipping　and　clicketing　to　the　tune　of　'In　and　out；'　saying　the　while；　'How　short　are　the　nights　of　union　and　how　long　the　nights　of　separation！'　and　reciting　the　following　cinquains：

　　O　night　of　delight　and　first　fruits　of　fair　fate；　Forefront　of　white　nights；　with　glad　fortune　elate；　
　　Thou　brought'st　me　the　morn　（84）　in　the　afternoon　late。　Thee　as　kohl　in　the　eyes　of　the　dawn　shall　we　rate　
　　Or　as　slumber　on　eyes　of　ophthalmiac　shed？
　　The　night　of　estrangement；　how　lonesome　was　it！　Its　first　and　its　last；　one　with　other；　were　knit；
　　As　a　ring；　sans　beginning　or　ending　to　wit；　And　the　Day　of　Uprising　broke；　ere　it　would　flit；　
　　For　estrangement；　thereafter；　（85）　the　lover　is　dead。　
As　they　were　in　this　great　delight　and　engrossing　joy；　they　heard　one　of　the　servants　of　the　Saint　（86）　smite　the　gong　（87）　upon　the　roof；　to　call　the　folk　to　the　rites　of　their　worship；　and　he　was　even　as　saith　the　poet：

　　I　saw　him　smite　upon　the　gong　and　unto　him　did　say；　'Who　taught　the　antelope　（88）　to　smite　upon　the　gong；　I　pray？'
　　And　to　my　soul；　'Which　irks　thee　most；　the　smiting　of　the　gongs　Or　signal　for　departure　given？　（89）　Decide　betwixt　the　tway。'　
Then　she　rose　forthwith　and　donned　her　clothes　and　ornaments：　but　this　was　grievous　to　Noureddin；　and　his　gladness　was　troubled；　the　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes　and　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　The　rose　of　a　soft　cheek；　all　through　the　livelong　night；　I　stinted　not　to　kiss　and　bite　with　many　a　bite；
　　Till；　in　our　middle　tide　of　pleasure；　when　our　spy　Lay　down　to　rest；　with　eyes　in　slumber　closed　outright；
　　They　smote　the　gongs；　as　they　who　smote　upon　them　were　Muezzins　that　to　prayer　the　faithful　do　invite。
　　She　rose　from　me　in　haste　and　donned　her　clothes；　for　fear　Our　watcher's　darted　star　（90）　should　on　our　heads　alight；
　　And　said；　'O　thou　my　wish　and　term　of　all　desire；　Behold；　the　morn　is　e　with　visage　wan　and　white。'
　　I　swear；　if　but　a　day　were　given　to　me　of　power　And　I　became　a　king　of　puissance　and　of　might；
　　I'd　break　the　corners　down　o'　the　churches；　all　of　them；　And　every　priest　on　earth　with　slaughter　I'd　requite。　
Then　she　pressed　him　to　her　bosom　and　kissed　his　cheek　and　said　to　him；　'O　Noureddin；　how　long　hast　thou　been　in　the　town？'　'Seven　days'　answered　he。　'Hast　thou　walked　about　in　it；'　asked　she；　'and　dost　thou　know　its　ways　and　issues　and　its　seagales　and　landgates？'　And　he　said；　'Yes。'　Quoth　she；　'Knowest　thou　the　way　to　the　offertorychest　of　the　chur