一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第38章

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u　send　her　not　back　with　me　of　free　will；　I　will　return　to　her　father　and　cause　him　despatch　thee　an　army；　wherewith　I　will　e　upon　you　from　the　landward　and　the　seaward　and　the　van　whereof　shall　be　at　your　capital　city；　whilst　the　rear　is　yet　on　the　Euphrates；　and　they　shall　lay　waste　thy　dominions。'　When　the　Khalif　heard　these　words　from　the　vizier　of　the　King　of　France；　the　light　in　his　face　became　darkness　and　he　was　exceeding　wroth　at　his　speech　and　said　to　him；　'O　accursed　one；　O　dog　of　the　Nazarenes；　who　art　thou　that　thou　shouldst　dare　to　e　out　against　me　with　the　King　of　the　Franks？'　＇Then　to　his　guards；＇　'Take　this　accursed　fellow　and　put　him　to　death；'　and　he　repeated　the　following　verse：

　　This　is　the　repense　of　those　Who　their　superiors'　will　oppose。　
Then　he　manded　to　cut　off　the　vizier's　head　and　burn　his　body；　but　Meryem　said；　'O　mander　of　the　Faithful；　defile　not　thy　sword　with　the　blood　of　this　accursed　wretch。'　So　saying；　she　drew　her　sword　and　smote　him　and　made　his　head　fly　from　his　body；　and　he　went　to　the　house　of　perdition；　his　abode　was　Gehenna　and　evil　is　the　abidingplace　＇to　which　he　went＇。　The　Khalif　marvelled　at　the　power　of　her　arm　and　the　strength　of　her　mind；　and　they　carried　the　dead　vizier　forth　of　the　palace　and　burnt　him。　Then　the　mander　of　the　Faithful　bestowed　upon　Noureddin　a　splendid　dress　of　honour　and　assigned　them　a　lodging　in　his　palace。　Moreover；　he　appointed　them　stipends　and　allowances　and　manded　to　supply　them　with　all　that　they　needed　of　raiment　and　furniture　and　vessels　of　price。

They　sojourned　awhile　in　Baghdad　in　all　delight　and　solace　of　life；　till　Noureddin　longed　for　his　mother　and　father。　So　he　expounded　the　matter　to　the　Khalif　and　sought　his　permission　to　repair　to　his　native　land　and　visit　his　kinsfolk；　and　he　granted　him　the　leave　he　sought　and　calling　for　Meryem；　mended　them　to　each　other。　Moreover；　he　loaded　them　with　costly　presents　and　rarities　and　bade　write　letters　to　the　amirs　and　scribes　and　notables　of　Cairo　the　＇God＇guarded；　mending　Noureddin　and　his　wife　and　parents　to　their　care　and　charging　them　entreat　them　with　the　utmost　honour。

When　the　news　reached　Cairo；　the　merchant　Tajeddin　rejoiced　in　the　return　of　his　son　and　Noureddin's　mother　likewise　rejoiced　therein　with　an　exceeding　joy。　The　amirs　and　notables　of　the　city　went　forth　to　meet　him；　in　obedience　to　the　Khalif's　injunction；　and　indeed　it　was　for　them　a　notable　day；　wherein　the　lover　and　the　beloved　foregathered　and　the　seeker　attained　the　sought。　Moreover；　all　the　amirs　made　them　bridefeasts；　each　on　his　own　day；　and　rejoiced　in　them　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　vied　with　each　other　in　doing　them　honour。　When　Noureddin　foregathered　with　his　father　and　mother；　they　rejoiced　in　each　other　with　the　utmost　joy　and　care　and　affliction　ceased　from　them；　whilst　his　parents　rejoiced　no　less　in　the　Princess　Meryem　and　entreated　her　with　the　utmost　honour。　Every　day；　there　came　to　them　presents　from　all　the　amirs　and　great　merchants；　and　they　were　daily　in　new　delight　and　gladness　exceeding　the　gladness　of　festival。　Then　they　abode　in　joy　and　pleasance　and　good　cheer　and　abounding　prosperity；　eating　and　drinking　and　making　merry；　till　there　came　to　them　the　Destroyer　of　Delights　and　Sunderer　of　panies；　he　who　layeth　waste　houses　and　palaces　and　peopleth　the　bellies　of　the　tombs。　So　they　were　removed　from　the　world　and　became　of　the　number　of　the　dead；　and　glory　be　to　the　Living　One；　who　dieth　not　and　in　whose　hand　are　the　keys　of　the　Seen　and　the　Unseen！



THE　MAN　OF　UPPER　EGYPT　AND　HIS　FRANK　WIFE。

（Quoth　the　Amir　Shijaeddin；　Prefect　of　New　Cairo）　We　lay　one　night　in　the　house　of　a　man　of　Upper　Egypt；　and　he　entertained　us　and　entreated　us　with　the　utmost　hospitality。　Now　he　was　an　old　man；　exceeding　swarthy　of　favour；　and　he　had　little　children；　who　were　white；　of　a　white　mingled　with　red。　So　we　said　to　him；　'Harkye；　such　an　one；　how　es　it　that　these　thy　children　are　white；　whilst　thou　thyself　art　exceeding　sother　was　a　Frank　woman；　whom　I　took　in　the　days　of　El　Melik　en　Nasir　Selaheddin；　（116）　after　the　battle　of　Hittin；　（117）　when　I　was　a　young　man。'　'And　how　gottest　thou　her？'　asked　we；　and　he　said；　'I　had　a　rare　adventure　with　her。'　Quoth　we；　'Favour　us　with　it；'　and　he　answered；　'With　all　my　heart。

Know　that　I　once　sowed　a　crop　of　flax　in　these　parts　and　pulled　it　and　scutched　it　and　spent　five　hundred　dinars　on　it；　after　which　I　would　have　sold　it；　but　could　get　no　more　than　this　＇that　I　had　spent＇　for　it；　and　the　folk　said　to　me；　〃Carry　it　to　Acre：　for　there　thou　wilt　assuredly　make　a　good　profit　by　it。〃　Now　Acre　was　then　in　the　hands　of　the　Franks；　（118）　so　I　carried　my　flax　thither　and　sold　part　of　it　at　six　months'　credit。　One　day；　as　I　was　selling；　there　came　up　a　Frankish　woman；　（now　it　is　the　custom　of　the　women　of　the　Franks　to　go　about　the　marketplace　＇and　the　streets＇　with　unveiled　faces；）　to　buy　flax　of　me；　and　I　saw　of　her　beauty　what　dazzled　my　wit。　So　I　sold　her　somewhat　of　flax　and　was　easy　with　her　concerning　the　price；　and　she　took　it　and　went　away。　Some　days　after；　she　returned　and　bought　more　flax　of　me　and　I　was　yet　easier　with　her　about　the　price；　and　she　repeated　her　visits　to　me；　seeing　that　I　was　in　love　with　her。

Now　she　was　used　to　go　in　pany　of　an　old　woman　；　so　I　said　to　the　latter；　〃I　am　sore　enamoured　of　thy　mistress。　Canst　thou　contrive　to　bring　me　to　enjoy　her？〃　Quoth　she；　〃I　will　contrive　this　for　thee；　but　the　secret　must　not　go　beyond　us　three；　and　needs　must　thou　be　lavish　with　money；　to　boot。〃　And　I　answered；　〃Though　my　life　were　the　price　of　her　favours；　it　were　no　great　matter。〃　So　it　was　agreed　that　I　should　pay　her　fifty　dinars　and　that　she　should　e　to　me；　whereupon　I　procured　the　money　and　gave　it　to　the　old　woman。　She　took　it　and　said；　〃Make　ready　a　place　for　her　in　thy　house；　and　she　will　e　to　thee　this　night。〃　So　I　went　home　and　made　ready　what　I　could　of　meat　and　drink　and　wax　candles　and　sweet　meats。　Now　my　house　overlooked　the　sea　and　it　was　the　season　of　summer；　so　I　spread　the　bed　on　the　roof　of　the　house。

Presently；　the　Frank　woman　came　and　we　ate　and　drank　and　the　night　fell　down。　We　lay　down　under　the　sky；　with　the　moon　shining　on　us；　and　fell　to　watching　the　reflection　of　the　stars　in　the　sea：　and　I　said　to　myself；　〃Art　thou　not　ashamed　before　God　（to　whom　belong　might　and　majesty！）　and　thou　a　stranger；　under　the　heavens　and　in　presence　of　the　sea；　to　disobey　Him　with　a　Nazarene　woman　and　merit　the　fiery　torment？〃　Then　said　I；　〃O　my　God；　I　call　thee　to　witness　that　I　abstain　from　this　Christian　woman　this　night；　of　shamefastness　before　Thee　and　fear　of　Thy　wrath！〃　So　I　slept　till　the　morning；　and　she　arose　at　peep　of　day　and　went　away；　full　of　anger。　I　went　to　my　shop　and　sat　there；　and　presently　she　passed；　as　she　were　the　moon；　followed　by　the　old　woman；　who　was　angry；　whereat　my　heart　sank　within　me　and　I　said　to　myself；　〃Who　art　thou　that　thou　shouldst　forbear　yonder　damsel？　Art　thou　Seri　es　Seketi　or　Bishr　Barefoot　or　Junaid　of　Baghdad　or　Fuzail　ben　Iyaz？〃　（119）

Then　I　ran　after　the　old　woman　and　said　to　her；　〃Bring　her　to　me　again。〃　〃By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah；〃　answered　she；　〃she　will　not　return　to　thee　but　for　a　hundred　dinars！〃　Quoth　I；　〃I　will　give　thee　a　hundred　dinars。〃　So　I　paid　her　the　money　and　the　damsel　came　to　me　a　second　time；　but　no　sooner　was　she　with　me　than　I　returned　to　my　former　way　of　thinking　and　abstained　from　her　and　forbore　her　for　the　sake　of　God　the　Most　High。　So　she　went　away　and　I　betook　me　to　my　shop；　and　presently　the　old　woman　came　up；　in　a　rage。　Quoth　I　to　her；　〃Bring　her　to　me　again。〃　And　she　answered；　〃By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah；　thou　shalt　never　again　rejoice　in　her　presence　with　thee；　except　for　five　hundred　dinars；　and　thou　shalt　perish　miserably！〃　At　this　I　trembled　and　resolved　to　sacrifice　the　whole　price　of　my　flax　and　ransom　myself　therewith。　But；　before　I　could　think；　I　heard　the　crier　proclaiming　and　saying；　〃Ho；　all　ye　Muslims；　the　truce　that　was　between　us　and　you　is　expired；　and　we　give　all　of　you　who　are　here　a　week　from　this　time　to　make　an　end　of　your　business　and　depart　to　your　own　country。〃

So　her　visits　were　cut　off　from　me　and　I　betook　myself　to　getting　in　the　p