一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第72章

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When　the　king　heard　the　dyer's　story；　he　was　exceeding　wroth　and　said　to　him；　'Keep　this　secret。'　Then　he　betook　himself　to　the　bath；　that　he　might　dispel　doubt　with　assurance；　and　when　he　entered；　Abousir　put　off　his　clothes　and　betaking　himself　＇as　of　wont＇　to　the　service　of　the　king；　proceeded　to　shampoo　him；　after　which　he　said　to　him；　'O　king　of　the　age；　I　have　made　an　unguent　for　removing　the　hair　from　the　privy　parts。'　'Bring　it　to　me；'　said　the　king。　So　the　barber　brought　it　to　him　and　the　king；　finding　it　nauseous　of　smell；　was　assured　that　it　was　poison；　wherefore　he　was　incensed　and　called　out　to　his　guards；　saying；　'Seize　him！'　So　they　seized　him　and　the　king　donned　his　clothes　and　returned　to　his　palace；　boiling　with　rage；　whilst　none　knew　the　cause　of　his　anger；　for；　of　the　excess　of　his　wrath；　he　had　acquainted　no　one　therewith　and　none　dared　ask　him。　Then　he　repaired　to　the　audiencechamber　and　causing　Abousir　to　be　brought　before　him；　with　his　hands　bound　behind　his　back；　sent　for　his　seacaptain　and　said　to　him；　'Take　this　villain　and　tie　him　in　a　sack　e。　Then　lay　him　in　a　boat　and　row　out　with　him　in　front　of　my　palace；　where　thou　wilt　see　me　sitting　at　the　lattice。　Do　thou　say　to　me；　〃Shall　I　cast　him　in？〃　and　if　I　answer；　〃Cast；〃　throw　him　into　the　sea；　so　the　lime　may　be　slaked　on　him；　to　the　intent　that　he　shall　die　drowned　and　burnt。'

'I　hear　and　obey；'　answered　the　captain　and　taking　Abousir；　carried　him　to　an　island；　that　lay　over　against　the　king's　palace；　where　he　said　to　him；　'Harkye；　I　once　visited　thy　bath　and　thou　entreatedst　me　with　honour　and　acplishedst　all　my　wants　and　I　had　great　pleasure　of　thee：　moreover；　thou　sworest　that　thou　wouldst　take　no　pay　of　me；　and　I　love　thee　with　a　great　love。　So　tell　me　how　the　case　stands　between　thee　and　the　king　and　what　abomination　thou　hast　done　with　him　that　he　is　wroth　with　thee　and　hath　manded　me　that　thou　shouldst　die　this　horrid　death。'　'By　Allah；　O　my　brother；'　answered　Abousir；　'I　have　done　nothing；　nor　do　I　know　of　any　crime　I　have　mitted　against　him　that　merits　this！'　'Verily；'　rejoined　the　captain；　'thou　wast　in　high　favour　with　the　king；　such　as　none　ever　enjoyed　before　thee；　and　all　who　are　prosperous　are　envied。　Belike　some　one　envied　thee　thy　good　fortune　and　missaid　of　thee　to　the　king；　by　reason　whereof　he　is　bee　thus　enraged　against　thee：　but　be　of　good　cheer；　no　harm　shall　befall　thee：　for；　even　as　thou　entreatedst　me　generously；　without　knowledge　of　me；　so　now　I　will　deliver　thee。　But；　if　I　release　thee；　thou　must　abide　with　me　in　this　island　till　some　galleon　set　sail　from　the　city　to　thy　native　land；　when　I　will　send　thee　thither　therein。'

Abousir　kissed　his　hand　and　thanked　him　for　this；　after　which　the　captain　fetched　the　lime　and　laid　it　in　a　sack；　together　with　a　great　stone；　the　bigness　of　a　man；　saying；　'I　put　my　trust　in　God。'　Then　he　gave　the　barber　a　；　saying；　'Cast　this　　into　the　sea；　so　haply　thou　mayst　take　somewhat　of　fish。　For　I　am　bounden　to　furnish　the　king's　kitchen　with　fish　every　day；　but　today　I　have　been　distracted　from　fishing　by　this　calamity　that　hath　befallen　thee；　and　I　fear　lest　the　cook's　servants　e　to　me　in　quest　of　fish　and　find　none。　So；　if　thou　take　aught；　they　will　find　it　and　thou　wilt　veil　my　face；　（193）　whilst　I　go　and　play　off　my　device　in　front　of　the　palace　and　feign　to　cast　thee　into　the　sea。'　'Go；'　answered　Abousir；　'and　God　be　thy　helper。　I　will　fish　the　while。'

So　the　captain　laid　the　sack　in　the　boat　and　rowed　till　he　came　under　the　palace；　where　he　saw　the　king　seated　at　the　lattice　and　said　to　him；　'O　king　of　the　age；　shall　I　Cast　him　in？'　'Cast；'　answered　the　king　and　signed　to　him　with　his　hand；　whereupon　something　flashed　and　fell　into　the　sea。　Now　this　that　had　fallen　into　the　sea　was　the　king's　sealring；　which　was　enchanted　on　such　wise　that；　when　the　king　was　wroth　with　any　one　and　was　minded　to　slay　him；　he　had　but　to　sign　to　him　with　his　right　hand；　whereon　was　the　ring；　and　there　issued　lightning　therefrom；　which　smote　the　offender；　and　thereupon　his　head　fell　from　his　shoulders。　It　was　this　ring　that　gave　him　authority　over　the　troops；　nor　did　he　overe　the　mighty　save　by　means　thereof；　so；　when　it　dropped　from　his　finger；　he　concealed　the　matter　and　kept　silence；　for　that　he　dared　not　say；　'My　ring　is　fallen　into　the　sea；'　for　fear　of　the　troops；　lest　they　should　rise　against　him　and　slay　him。

Meanwhile；　Abousir　cast　the　　into　the　sea　and　drew　it　up　full　of　fish。　Then　he　cast　it　again　and　it　came　up　full　of　fish；　nor　did　he　cease　to　cast　it　and　pull　it　up　full；　till　there　was　a　great　heap　of　fish　before　him。　So　he　said　to　himself；　'By　Allah；　I　have　not　eaten　fish　this　long　while！'　And　chose　himself　a　large　fat　fish；　saying；　'When　the　captain　es　back；　I　will　bid　him　fry　it　for　me；　so　I　may　make　the　morning　meal　of　it。'　Then　he　cut　its　throat　with　a　knife　he　had　with　him；　but　the　knife　stuck　in　its　gills　and　there　he　saw　the　king's　sealring；　for　the　fish　had　swallowed　it　and　destiny　had　driven　it　to　the　island；　where　it　had　fallen　into　the　。　So　he　took　the　ring　and　put　it　on　his　little　finger；　not　knowing　its　properties。　Presently；　up　came　two　of　the　cook's　underlings　in　quest　of　fish　and　seeing　Abousir；　said　to　him；　'O　man；　whither　is　the　captain　gone？'　'I　know　not；'　answered　he　and　signed　to　them　with　his　right　hand；　when；　behold；　their　heads　dropped　from　their　shoulders。

At　this　Abousir　was　amazed　and　said；　'I　wonder　who　slew　them！'　And　their　case　was　grievous　to　him　and　he　was　still　musing　upon　it；　when　the　captain　returned　and　seeing　the　two　men　lying　dead　and　the　ring　on　Abousir's　finger；　said　to　him；　'O　my　brother；　move　not　thy　hand　whereon　is　the　ring；　else　thou　wilt　slay　me。'　Abousir　wondered　at　this　speech　and　the　captain　ing　up　to　him；　said；　'Who　slew　these　two　men？'　'By　Allah；　O　my　brother；'　answered　the　barber；　'I　know　not！'　'Thou　sayst　sooth；'　rejoined　the　captain；　'but　tell　me　whence　hadst　thou　that　ring？'　Quoth　Abousir；　'I　found　it　in　this　fish's　gills。'　'　True；'　said　the　captain；　'for　I　saw　it　fall　flashing　from　the　king's　palace　and　disappear　in　the　sea；　what　time　he　signed　toward　＇the　sack　in　which　he　deemed＇　thee　＇to　be＇；　saying；　〃Cast　him　in。〃　So　I　cast　the　sack　into　the　water；　and　it　was　then　that　the　ring　slipped　from　his　finger　and　fell　into　the　sea；　where　the　fish　swallowed　it；　and　God　drove　it　to　thee；　so　that　thou　tookest　it；　for　this　ring　was　thy　lot；　but　knowest　thou　its　property？'　'I　knew　not　that　it　had　any　properties；'　answered　Abousir；　and　the　captain　said；　'Know；　then；　that　the　king's　troops　obey　him　not　save　for　fear　of　this　ring；　for　it　is　enchanted；　and　when　he　was　wroth　with　any　one　and　had　a　mind　to　put　him　to　death；　he　would　sign　at　him　therewith　and　his　head　would　drop　from　his　shoulders；　for　there　issued　a　lightning　from　the　ring　and　its　ray　smote　the　object　of　his　wrath；　who　died　forthright。'

At　this；　Abousir　rejoiced　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　said　to　the　captain；　'Carry　me　back　to　the　city。'　'That　will　I；'　answered　he；　'now　that　I　no　longer　fear　for　thee　from　the　king；　for；　wert　thou　to　sign　at　him　with　thy　hand；　purposing　to　kill　him；　his　head　would　fall　down　before　thee；　and　if　thou　be　minded　to　slay　him　and　all　his　troops；　thou　mayst　do　so　without　hindrance。'　So　saying；　he　embarked　with　him　in　the　boat　and　rowed　him　back　to　the　city；　where　Abousir　landed　and　going　up　to　the　palace；　entered　the　councilchamber；　where　he　found　the　king　seated　in　the　midst　of　his　officers；　sore　concerned　by　reason　of　the　ring　and　daring　not　tell　any　of　its　loss。

When　he　saw　Abousir；　he　said　to　him；　'Did　we　not　cast　thee　into　the　sea？　How　hast　thou　made　shift　to　e　forth　therefrom？'　'O　king　of　the　age；'　answered　Abousir；　'whenas　thou　badst　throw　me　into　the　sea；　thy　captain　carried　me　to　an　island　and　questioned　me　of　the　cause　of　thy　wrath　against　me；　saying；　〃What　hast　thou　done　with　the　king；　that　he　should　decree　thy　death？〃　〃By　Allah；〃　answered　I；　〃I　know　not　that　I　have　offended　against　him　in　aught！〃　Quoth　he；　〃Thou　wast　in　high　favour　with　the　king；　and　most　like　some　one　envied　thee　and　slandered　thee　to　him；　so　that　he　is　bee　incensed　against　thee。　But；　when　I　visited　thee　in　thy　bath；　thou　entreatedst　me　hospitably；　and　I　will　requit