一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第20部分

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n　the　mole　of　his　cheek。　Then　she　gave　him　all　she　had　put　off；　saying；　'O　beloved　of　my　heart；　the　gift　is　after　the　measure　of　the　giver's　capacity。'　So　he　accepted　this　from　her　and　gave　it　back　to　her　and　kissed　her　on　the　mouth　and　cheeks　and　eyes。

When　this　was　done；　（for　nought　endureth　save　God；　the　Living；　the　Eternal；　Provider　of　the　peacock　and　the　owl）；　Noureddin　rose　from　the　place　of　session　and　stood　upon　his　feet；　for　the　darkness　was　now　fallen　and　the　stars　shone　out；　sel　to　him；　'Whither　away；　O　my　lord？'　And　he　said；　'To　my　father's　house。'　Then　the　sons　of　the　merchants　conjured　him　to　pass　the　night　with　them；　but　he　refused　and　mounting　his　mule；　rode；　without　stopping；　till　he　reached　his　father's　house；　where　his　mother　met　him　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　what　hath　kept　thee　abroad　till　this　hour？　By　Allah；　thou　hast　troubled　thy　father　and　myself　by　thine　absence　from　us；　and　our　hearts　have　been　occupied　with　thee。'　Then　she　came　up　to　him；　to　kiss　him　on　his　mouth；　and　smelling　the　fumes　of　the　wine；　said；　'O　my　son；　how　is　this？　Art　thou；　after　prayer　and　worship；　bee　a　winebibber　and　a　transgressor　of　His　word　to　whom　belong　creation　and　mandment？'　But　Noureddin　threw　himself　down　on　the　bed　and　lay　there。

Presently　in　came　his　father　and　said：；　'What　ails　Noureddin　to　lie　thus？'　And　his　mother　answered；　saying；　'It　would　seem　his　head　irketh　him　for　the　air　of　the　garden。'　So　Tajeddin　went　up　to　his　son；　to　question　him　of　his　ailment　and　salute　him；　and　smelt　the　wine　he　had　drunk。　Now　he　loved　not　winedrinkers；　so　he　said　to　Noureddin；　'Out　on　thee；　O　my　son！　Is　folly　e　to　such　a　pass　with　thee；　that　thou　drinkest　wine？'　When　Noureddin　heard　this；　he　raised　his　hand；　being　yet　in　his　drunkenness；　and　dealt　him　a　buffet。　As　fate　would　leave　it；　the　blow　lit　on　his　father's　right　eye　＇and　struck　it　out＇　and　it　ran　down　on　his　cheek；　whereupon　he　fell　down　in　a　swoon　and　lay　therein　awhile。　They　sprinkled　rosewater　on　him　till　he　came　to　himself；　when　he　would　have　beaten　Noureddin；　but　his　wife　withheld　him；　and　he　swore；　by　the　oath　of　divorcement　from　her；　that；　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　he　would　assuredly　cut　off　his　son's　right　hand。　When　she　heard　her　husband's　words；　her　breast　was　straitened　and　she　feared　for　her　son　and　ceased　not　to　soothe　and　appease　Tajeddin；　till　sleep　overcame　him。

Then　she　waited　till　the　moon　was　risen；　when　she　went　in　to　her　son；　whose　drunkenness　had　now　ceased　from　him；　and　said　to　him；　'O　Noureddin'　what　is　this　foul　thing　thou　hast　done　with　thy　father？'　'And　what　did　I　with　him？'　asked　he。　Quoth　she；　'Thou　dealtest　him　a　buffet　on　the　right　eye　and　struckest　it　out；　and　he　hath　sworn　by　the　oath　of　divorcement　that；　as　soon　as　it　is　day；　he　will　without　fail　cut　off　thy　right　hand。'　Noureddin　repented　him　of　that　which　he　had　done；　whenas　repentance　profited　him　nothing；　and　his　mother　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　this　repentance　will　not　profit　thee；　nor　will　aught　serve　thee　but　that　thou　arise　forthright　and　seek　safety　in　flight。　Go　forth　the　house　privily　and　take　refuge　with　one　of　thy　friends　and　there　await　what　God　shall　do；　for　He　changeth　case　after　case。'

Then　she　opened　a　chest　and　taking　out　a　purse　of　a　hundred　dinars；　said　to　Noureddin；　'O　my　son；　take　these　dinars　and　provide　thyself　therewith；　and　when　they　are　at　an　end；　send　and　give　me　to　know　thereof　that　I　may　send　thee　other　than　these；　and　at　the　same　time　send　me　news　of　thyself　privily。　It　may　be　God　will　decree　thee　relief　and　thou　shalt　return　to　thy　dwelling。'　And　she　bade　him　farewell　and　wept　passing　sore。　Noureddin　took　the　purse　and　was　about　to　go　forth；　when　he　espied　a　great　purse　containing　a　thousand　dinars；　which　his　mother　had　fotten　beside　the　chest。　So　he　took　this　also　and　tying　the　two　purses　about　his　middle；　set　out　before　dawn　in　the　direction　of　Boulac；　where　he　arrived　whenas　the　day　broke　and　all　creatures　arose；　attesting　the　unity　of　God　the　Opener　＇of　the　gates　of　sustenance　and　mercy＇　and　went　forth　each　upon　his　several　business；　to　suffer　that　which　God　had　allotted　to　him。

He　walked　on　along　the　riverbank　till　he　saw　a　ship　with　her　gangway　out　and　her　four　grapnels　made　fast　to　the　land。　The　folk　were　going　up　into　her　and　ing　down　from　her；　and　Noureddin；　seeing　some　sailors　standing　there；　asked　them　whither　they　were　bound。　'To　the　city　of　Rosetta；'　answered　they；　and　he　said；　'Take　me　e　and　fair　wele　to　thee；　O　goodly　youth！'　So　he　betook　himself　forthright　to　the　market　and　buying　what　he　needed　of　victual　and　bedding　and　covering　＇for　the　voyage；＇　returned　to　the　port　and　went　on　board　the　ship；　which　was　ready　to　sail　and　tarried　with　him　but　a　little　while　before　it　weighed　anchor　and　fared　on；　without　stopping；　till　it　reached　Rosetta；　where　Noureddin　saw　a　small　boat　going　to　Alexandria。　So　he　embarked　in　it　and　traversing　the　＇Mehmoudiyeh＇　canal；　fared　on　till　he　came　to　a　bridge　called　El　Jami；　where　he　landed　and　entered　Alexandria　by　the　gate　called　the　Gate　of　the　Lotetree。

God　protected　him；　so　that　none　of　those　who　stood　At　the　gate　saw　him；　and　he　entered　the　city；　which　he　found　a　strongly　fortified　city；　goodly　of　pleasaunces；　delightful　to　its　inhabitants　and　inviting　to　abide　therein。　The　season　of　winter　had　departed　from　it　with　its　cold　and　the　season　of　spring　was　e　to　it　with　its　roses：　its　flowers　were　in　blossom　and　its　trees　in　full　leaf；　its　fruits　were　ripe　and　its　waters　welled　forth。　Indeed；　it　was　a　city　goodly　of　ordinance　and　construction；　its　folk　were　of　the　best　of　men；　and　when　the　gate　thereof　were　shut；　its　people　were　in　safety。　And　it　was　even　as　is　said　of　it　in　the　following　verses：

　　'Describe　Alexandria；　I　pray；'　Quoth　I　to　a　rade　one　day；
　　A　man　of　glib　speech　and　quick　wit。　''Tis　a　fair　frontier　town；'　（59）　did　he　say。
　　Quoth　I；　'Is　there　living　therein？'　And　he；　'If　the　wind　blow　that　way。'　
Or　as　saith　one　of　the　poets：

　　Alexandria's　a　frontier　seat；　（60）　The　water　of　its　lips　is　sweet。　How　fair　the　ing　to　it　is；　So　one　therein　no　raven　meet！　
Noureddin　walked　about　the　city　till　he　came　to　the　merchants'　bazaar；　whence　he　passed　on　to　the　bazaar　of　the　moneychangers　and　so　on　in　turn　to　those　of　the　confectioners　and　fruiterers　and　druggists；　marvelling；　as　he　went　at　the　city；　for　that　its　qualities　accorded　with　its　name。　（61）　As　he　walked　in　the　druggists'　bazaar；　an　old　man　came　down　from　his　shop　and　saluting　him；　took　him　by　the　hand　and　carried　him　to　a　fair　bystreet；　swept　and　sprinkled；　whereon　the　zephyr　blew　and　was　pleasant　and　the　leaves　of　the　trees　overshaded　it。　Therein　stood　three　houses　and　at　the　upper　end　a　mansion；　whose　foundations　were　stablished　in　the　water　and　its　roofs　rose　up　to　the　confines　of　the　sky。　The　space　before　it　was　paved　with　marble；　swept　and　sprinkled；　and　those　who　approached　it　smelt　the　fragrance　of　flowers；　borne　on　the　zephyr；　which　breathed　upon　the　place；　an　it　were　one　of　the　gardens　of　Paradise。

The　old　man　carried　Noureddin　into　the　house　and　set　food　before　him；　whereof　he　ate　with　him。　When　they　had　made　an　end　of　eating；　the　druggist　said　to　him；　'When　camest　thou　hither　from　Cairo？'　And　Noureddin　old　man；　'What　is　thy　name？'　And　he　replied；　'Ali　Noureddin。'　'O　my　son；　O　Noureddin；'　said　the　druggist；　'be　the　triple　divorcement　incumbent　on　me；　if　thou　leave　me　so　long　as　thou　abidest　in　this　town；　and　I　will　set　thee　apart　a　place　y　lord；　let　me　know　more　of　thee。'　And　the　other　answered；　'Know；　O　my　son；　that　years　ago　I　came　to　Cairo　with　merchandise；　which　I　sold　there　and　bought　other；　and　I　had　occasion　for　a　thousand　dinars。　So　thy　father　paid　them　down　for　me；　for　all　he　had　no　knowledge　of　me；　and　would　take　no　security　of　me；　but　had　patience　with　me　till　I　returned　hither　and　sent　him　the　amount　by　one　of　my　servants；　together　with　a　present。　I　saw　thee；　whilst　thou　wast　little；　and　if　it　please　God　the　Most　High；　I　will　repay　thee　somewhat　of　the　kindness　thy　father　did　me。'　When　Noureddin　heard　the　old　man's　story；　he　smiled　and　showed　joy　and　pulling　out　the　purse　of　a　thousand　dinars；　gave　it　to　his　host　and　said　to　him；　'Take　charge　of　this　for　me；　against　I　buy　me　therewith　somewhat　of　merchandise　whereon　t