一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第69章

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ared　say　a　word　to　him；　but　they　used　to　e　to　him；　kissing　his　hands　and　excusing　themselves　to　him　for　the　affronts　they　had　done　him　aforetime　and　offering　themselves　to　him　as　journeymen；　but　he　would　none　of　them。

Meanwhile　Abousir　abode　three　days；　prostrate　and　unconscious；　in　the　chamber　where　Aboukir　had　left　him；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　doorkeeper　of　the　khan；　chancing　to　look　at　the　chamberdoor；　observed　that　it　was　shut　and　bethought　himself　that　he　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　of　the　two　panions　＇for　some　time＇。　So　he　said　to　himself；　'Belike　they　have　made　oft；　without　paying　the　rent　of　the　chamber；　or　perhaps　they　are　dead；　or　what　is　to　do　with　them？'　And　he　waited　till　sunset；　when　he　went　up　to　the　chamberdoor　and　heard　the　barber　groaning　within。　He　saw　the　key　in　the　lock；　so　he　opened　the　door　and　entering；　found　Abousir　lying；　groaning；　and　said　to　him；　'No　harm　to　thee：　where　is　thy　friend？'　'By　Allah；'　answered　Abousir；　'I　only　came　to　my　senses　this　day　and　called　out；　but　none　answered　me。　God　on　thee；　O　my　brother；　look　for　the　purse　under　my　head　and　take　five　paras　from　it　and　buy　me　something　to　eat；　for　I　am　sore　anhungred。'

The　porter　put　out　his　hand　and　taking　the　purse；　found　it　empty　and　said　to　the　barber；　'The　purse　is　empty；　there　is　nothing　in　it。'　Whereupon　Abousir　knew　that　the　dyer　had　taken　that　which　was　therein　and　fled　and　said　to　the　porter；　'Hast　thou　not　seen　my　friend？'　'I　have　not　seen　him　these　three　days；'　answered　the　porter；　'and　indeed　methought　you　had　departed；　thou　and　he。'　'Not　no；'　said　Ahousir；　'but　he　coveted　my　money　and　seeing　me　sick；　took　it　and　fled。'　Then　he　fell　aweeping　and　lamenting；　but　the　porter　said　to　him；　'No　harm　shall　e　to　thee；　and　God　　his　deed。'　So　saying；　he　went　away　and　cooked　him　a　mess　of　broth；　whereof　he　ladled　out　a　platterful　and　brought　it　to　him；　nor　did　he　cease　to　tend　him　and　maintain　him　with　his　own　monies　for　two　months'　space；　at　the　end　of　which　time　he　sweated　and　God　made　him　whole　of　his　sickness。　Then　he　stood　up　and　said　to　the　porter；　'So　God　the　Most　High　enable　me；　I　will　surely　requite　thee　thy　kindness　to　me；　but　none　requiteth　save　God　of　His　bounty！'　Praised　be　He　for　thy　recovery！'　answered　the　porter。　'I　dealt　not　thus　with　thee　but　of　desire　for　the　favour　of　God　the　Bountiful。'

Then　the　barber　went　forth　of　the　khan　and　walked　about　the　markets　of　the　town；　till　chance　brought　him　to　that　wherein　was　Aboukir's　dyery；　and　he　saw　the　varicoloured　stuffs　spread　before　the　shop　and　the　people　crowding　to　look　upon　them。　So　he　questioned　one　of　the　townsmen　and　said　to　him；　'What　place　is　this　and　how　es　it　that　I　see　the　folk　crowding　together？'　And　the　man　answered；　saying；　'This　is　the　Sultan's　dyery；　which　he　set　up　for　a　foreigner；　by　name　Aboukir；　and　whenever　he　dyes　a　＇new＇　piece　of　stuff　we　all　flock　to　him　and　divert　ourselves　by　gazing　upon　his　handiwork；　for　that　we　have　no　dyers　in　our　land　who　know　how　to　dye　these　colours；　and　indeed　there　befell　him　with　the　dyers　who　are　in　the　city　thus　and　thus。'　And　he　went　on　to　tell　him　all　that　had　passed　between　Aboukir　and　the　dyers　and　how　he　had　plained　of　them　to　the　sultan　and　he　had　taken　him　by　the　hand　and　built　him　that　dyery　and　given　him　this　and　that；　brief；　he　told　him　all　that　had　passed。

At　this　the　barber　rejoiced　and　said　to　himself；　'Praised　be　God　who　hath　prospered　him；　so　that　he　is　bee　a　master　of　his　craft！　Indeed；　the　man　is　excusable；　for　of　a　surety　he　hath　been　diverted　from　thee　by　his　work　and　hath　fotten　thee；　but　thou　didst　him　kindness　and　entreatedst　him　generously；　what　time　he　was　out　of　work；　so；　when　he　seeth　thee；　he　will　rejoice　in　thee　and　entreat　thee　generously；　even　as　thou　entreatedst　him。'　So　he　made　for　the　door　of　the　dyery　and　saw　Aboukir　seated　on　a　high　divan　in　the　doorway；　clad　in　royal　apparel　and　attended　by　four　black　and　four　white　slaves　all　dressed　in　the　richest　of　clothes。　Moreover；　he　saw　the　workmen；　ten　black　slaves；　standing　at　work；　for；　when　Aboukir　bought　them；　he　taught　them　the　craft　of　dyeing；　and　he　himself　sat　amongst　his　cushions；　as　he　were　a　grand　vizier　or　a　most　mighty　king；　putting　his　hand　to　nought；　but　only　saying　to　the　men；　'Do　this　and　do　that。'

The　barber　went　up　to　him　and　stood　before　him；　doubting　not　but　that；　when　he　saw　him；　he　would　rejoice　in　him　and　salute　him　and　entreat　him　with　honour　and　make　much　of　him；　but；　when　eye　met　eye；　the　dyer　said　to　him；　'O　rascal；　how　many　a　time　have　I　bidden　thee　stand　not　at　the　door　of　this　workshop？　Hast　thou　a　mind　to　disgrace　me　with　the　folk；　knave　that　thou　art？'　＇And　he　cried　out；　saying＇；　'Seize　him！'　So　the　slave。　ran　at　him　and　laid　hold　of　him；　and　the　dyer　said；　'Throw　him　down。'　So　they　threw　him　down　and　Aboukfr　rose　and　taking　a　stick；　dealt　him　a　hundred　blows　on　the　back；　after　which　they　turned　him　over　and　he　dealt　him　other　hundred　on　his　belly。　Then　he　said　to　him；　'Hark　ye；　scurril　knave　that　thou　art！　If　ever　again　I　see　thee　standing　at　the　door　of　this　dyery；　I　will　forthwith　send　thee　to　the　king；　and　he　will　mit　thee　to　the　master　of　police；　that　he　may　strike　off　thy　head。　Begone；　may　God　not　bless　thee！'

So　Abousir　＇arose　and＇　departed　from　him；　brokenhearted　by　reason　of　the　beating　and　humiliation　that　had　betided　him；　whilst　the　bystanders　said　to　Aboukir；　'What　hath　this　man　done？'　Quoth　he；　'He　is　a　thief；　who　steals　the　people's　goods：　he　hath　robbed　me　of　stuffs；　how　many　a　time！　and　I　still　said　in　myself；　〃God　five　him！　He　is　a　poor　man；〃　and　cared　not　to　deal　harshly　with　him；　so　I　used　to　give　the　folk　the　worth　of　their　goods　and　forbid　him　gently；　but　he　would　not　be　forbidden；　and　if　he　e　again；　I　will　send　him　to　the　king；　who　will　put　him　to　death　and　rid　the　folk　of　his　mischief。'　And　the　bystanders　fell　to　reviling　the　barber　in　his　absence。

Meanwhile；　the　latter　returned　to　the　khan；　where　he　sat　pondering　that　which　Aboukir　had　done　with　him；　till　the　pain　of　the　beating　subsided；　when　he　went　out　and　walked　about　the　markets　of　the　city。　Presently；　he　bethought　him　to　go　to　the　bath；　so　he　said　to　one　of　the　townsfolk；　'O　my　brother；　which　is　the　way　to　the　bath？〃　'And　what　manner　of　thing　is　the　bath？'　asked　the　other。　Quoth　Abousir；　'It　is　a　place　where　people　wash　themselves　and　do　away　their　defilements；　and　it　is　of　the　best　of　the　good　things　of　the　world。'　'Get　thee　to　the　sea；'　replied　the　townsman；　but　the　barber　replied；　'I　want　the　bath。'　Quoth　the　other；　'We　know　not　what　manner　of　thing　is　the　bath；　for　we　all　resort　to　the　sea；　even　the　king；　when　he　would　wash；　betaketh　himself　to　the　sea。'

When　Abousir　was　certified　that　there　was　no　bath　in　the　city　and　that　the　people　knew　not　the　bath　nor　the　fashion　thereof　he　betook　himself　to　the　king's　divan　and　kissing　the　earth　before　him；　called　down　blessings　on　him　and　said；　'I　am　a　stranger　and　a　bathkeeper　by　trade；　and　I　entered　thy　city　and　thought　to　go　to　the　bath；　but　found　not　one　therein。　How　eth　a　city　of　this　ely　fashion　to　lack　a　bath；　seeing　that　the　bath　is　of　the　goodliest　of　the　delights　of　this　world？'　Quoth　the　king；　'What　manner　of　thing　is　the　bath？'　So　Abousir　proceeded　to　set　forth　to　him　the　attributes　of　the　bath；　saying；　'Thy　city　will　not　be　plete　till　there　be　a　bath　in　it。'　'Wele　to　thee！'　said　the　king　and　clad　him　in　a　dress　that　had　not　its　like　and　gave　him　a　horse　and　two　black　and　two　white　slaves　and　four　slavegirls。　Moreover　he　appointed　him　a　furnished　house　and　honoured　him　yet　more　abundantly　than　he　had　honoured　the　dyer。

Then　he　sent　builders　with　him　and　bade　them　build　him　a　bath　in　what　place　soever　should　please　him。　So　he　took　them　and　went　with　them　through　the　midst　of　the　city；　till　he　saw　a　place　that　pleased　him。　He　pointed　it　out　to　the　builders　and　they　set　to　work；　under　his　direction；　and　wrought　till　they　built　him　a　bath　that　had　not　its　like。　Then　he　made　them　paint　it；　and　they　painted　it　on　rare　wise；　so　that　it　was　a　delight　to　the　beholders；　after　which　Abousir　went　up　to　the　king　and　told　him　that　they　had　made　an　end　of　building　and　decorating　the　bath；　adding；　'There　lacks　nought　but　the　furniture。'　The　king　gave　him　ten　thousand　dina