一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eam；　and　I　abode　in　perplexity　till　there　came　up　a　great　vessel；　in　which　I　embarked　and　she　carried　me　to　Bassora。

Now　I　had　never　entered　the　place　and　knew　none　there；　so　I　accosted　a　grocer　and　taking　of　him　inkhorn　and　paper；　sat　down　to　write。　He　admired　my　handwriting　and　seeing　my　dress　soiled；　questioned　me　of　my　case；　to　which　I　replied　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　poor。　Quoth　he；　'Wilt　thou　abide　with　me　and　order　the　accounts　of　my　shop　and　I　will　give　thee　thy　food　and　clothing　and　half　a　dirhem　a　day？'　'It　is　well；'　answered　I　and　abode　with　him　and　kept　his　accounts　and　ordered　his　inings　and　outgoings　for　a　month；　at　the　end　of　which　time　he　found　his　receipts　increased　and　his　expenses　lessened；　wherefore　he　thanked　me　and　made　my　wage　a　dirhem　a　day。　When　the　year　was　out；　he　proposed　to　me　to　marry　his　daughter　and　bee　his　partner　in　the　shop。　I　agreed　to　this　and　went　in　to　my　wife　and　applied　me　to　the　shop。　But　I　was　broken　in　heart　and　spirit；　and　grief　was　apparent　upon　me；　and　the　grocer　used　to　drink　and　invite　me　thereto；　but　I　refused　for　melancholy。

On　this　wise　I　abode　two　years；　till；　one　day；　as　I　sat　in　the　shop；　there　passed　by　a　pany　of　people　with　meat　and　drink；　and　I　asked　the　grocer　what　was　to　do。　Quoth　he；　'This　is　the　day　of　the　pleasuremakers；　when　all　the　musicians　and　dancers　of　the　town　go　forth　with　the　young　men　of　fortune　to　the　banks　of　the　Ubulleh　river　（138）　and　eat　and　drink　among　the　trees　there。　My　heart　prompted　me　to　divert　myself　with　the　sight　of　this　thing　and　I　said　in　myself；　'Belike；　I　may　foregather　with　her　I　love　among　these　people。'　So　I　told　the　grocer　that　I　had　a　mind　to　this　and　he　said；　'Up　and　go　with　them。'　And　he　made　me　ready　meat　and　drink　and　I　went　till　I　came　to　the　Ubulleh　river；　when；　behold；　the　folk　were　going　away。

I　was　about　to　follow；　when　I　espied　the　very　bark　in　which　the　Hashimi　had　been　with　the　damsel　going　along　the　river　and　the　captain　in　her。　So　I　cried　out　to　him　and　he　and　his　pany　knew　me　and　took　me　on　board　with　them　and　said　to　me；　'Art　thou　yet　alive？'　And　they　embraced　me　and　questioned　me　of　my　case。　So　I　told　them　my　story　and　they　said；　'Indeed；　we　thought　that　drunkenness　had　gotten　the　mastery　of　thee　and　that　thou　＇hadst　fallen　into　the　water　and＇　wast　drowned。'　Then　I　asked　them　of　the　damsel；　and　they　answered；　'When　she　came　to　know　of　thy　loss；　she　rent　her　clothes　and　burnt　the　lute　and　fell　to　buffeting　herself　and　lamenting；　till　we　reached　Bassora；　when　we　said　to　her；　'Leave　this　weeping　and　sorrowing。'　Quoth　she；　'I　will　don　black　and　make　me　a　tomb　beside　the　house　and　abide　thereby　and　repent　from　singing。'　So　we　suffered　her　to　do　this　and　on　this　wise　she　abideth　to　this　day。'

Then　they　carried　me　to　the　Hashimi's　house；　where　I　saw　the　damsel　as　they　had　said。　When　she　saw　me；　she　gave　a　great　cry；　methought　she　had　died；　and　I　embraced　her　with　a　long　embrace。　Then　said　the　Hashimi　to　me；　'Take　her。'　And　I　answered；　'It　is　well　but　do　thou　free　her　and　marry　her　to　me；　according　to　thy　promise。'　So　he　did　this　and　gave　us　costly　goods　and　store　of　raiment　and　furniture　and　five　hundred　dinars；　saying；　'This　is　the　amount　of　that　which　I　purpose　to　allow　you　monthly；　but　on　condition　that　thou　be　my　boonpanion　and　that　I　hear　the　girl　sing　＇when　I　will＇　。'　Moreover；　he　assigned　us　a　house　and　bade　transport　thither　all　that　we　needed；　so；　when　I　went　to　the　house；　I　found　it　full　of　furniture　and　stuffs　and　carried　the　damsel　thither。　Then　I　betook　me　to　the　grocer　and　told　him　all　that　had　befallen　me；　begging　him　to　hold　me　excused　for　putting　away　his　daughter；　without　offence　on　her　part；　and　I　paid　her　her　dowry　（139）　and　what　else　behoved　me。　（140）　I　abode　with　the　Hashimi　on　this　wise　two　years　and　became　a　man　of　great　wealth　and　was　restored　wellnigh　to　the　former　estate　of　prosperity　wherein　I　had　been　at　Baghdad；　I　and　the　damsel。　And　indeed　God　the　Bountiful　put　an　end　to　our　troubles　and　vouchsafed　us　abundant　good　fortune　and　caused　our　patience　to　issue　in　the　attainment　of　our　desire：　wherefore　to　Him　be　the　praise　in　this　world　and　the　next。



KING　JELYAAD　OF　HIND　AND　HIS　VIZIER　SHIMAS；　WHEREAFTER　ENSUETH　THE　HISTORY　OF　KING　WIRD　KHAN；　SON　OF　KING　JELYAAD；　WITH　HIS　WOMEN　AND　VIZIERS。

There　was　once；　of　old　days　and　in　bygone　ages　and　times；　in　the　land　of　Hind；　a　mighty　king；　tall　and　goodly　of　parts　and　presence；　noble　and　generous　of　nature；　beneficent　to　the　poor　and　loving　the　tillers　of　the　soil　and　all　the　people　of　his　kingdom。　His　name　was　Jelyaad　and　under　his　hand　were　twoandseventy　＇vassal＇　kings　and　in　his　cities　three　hundred　and　fifty　Cadis。　He　had　threescore　and　ten　viziers　and　over　every　ten　of　them　he　set　a　chief。　The　chiefest　of　all　his　viziers　was　a　man　called　Shimas；　who　was　then　（141）　twoandtwenty　years　old；　a　man　of　ely　presence　and　noble　nature；　pleasant　of　speech　and　quick　in　reply。　Moreover；　he　was　shrewd　and　skilful　in　all　manner　of　business；　for　all　his　tender　age；　sagacious；　a　man　of　good　counsel　and　government；　versed　in　all　arts　and　sciences　and　acplishments；　and　the　king　loved　him　with　an　exceeding　love　and　cherished　him　by　reason　of　his　proficiency　in　eloquence　and　rhetoric　and　the　art　of　government　and　for　that　which　God　had　given　him　of　passion　and　tender　solicitude　for　the　people；　for　he　was　a　king　just　in　his　governance　and　a　protector　of　his　subjects；　constant　in　beneficence　to　great　and　small　and　giving　them　that　which　befitted　them　of　good　governance　and　bounty　and　protection　and　security　and　a　lightener　of　their　burdens。　And　indeed　he　was　loving　to　them　all；　high　and　low；　entreating　them　with　kindness　and　clemency　and　governing　them　on　such　goodly　wise　as　none　had　done　before　him。　But；　with　all　this；　God　the　Most　High　had　not　blessed　him　with　a　child；　and　this　was　grievous　to　him　and　to　the　people　of　his　kingdom。

It　chanced；　one　night；　as　the　king　lay　in　his　bed；　occupied　with　anxious　thought　of　the　issue　of　the　affair　of　his　kingdom；　that　sleep　overcame　him　and　he　dreamt　that　he　poured　water　upon　the　roots　of　a　tree；　about　which　were　many　other　trees；　and　behold　there　came　fire　out　of　this　tree　and　burnt　up　all　that　enpassed　it；　whereupon　Jelyaad　awoke；　affrighted　and　trembling；　and　calling　one　of　his　servants；　bade　him　fetch　the　Vizier　Shimas　in　all　haste。　So　he　betook　himself　to　Shimas　and　said　to　him；　'The　king　calls　for　thee；　for　he　hath　awoke　from　his　sleep　in　affright　and　hath　sent　me　to　bring　thee　to　him　in　haste。'

When　Shimas　heard　this；　he　arose　forthright　and　going　in　to　the　king；　found　him　seated　on　his　bed。　So　he　prostrated　himself　before　him；　wishing　him　continuance　of　glory　and　prosperity；　and　said；　'May　God　not　cause　thee　grieve；　O　king！　What　hath　troubled　thee　this　night；　and　what　is　the　cause　of　thy　seeking　me　thus　in　haste？'　The　king　bade　him　be　seated　and　said　to　him；　'I　have　dreamt　this　night　a　dream　that　terrified　me；　and　it　was；　that　methought　I　poured　water　upon　the　roots　of　a　tree　and　as　I　was　thus　engaged；　behold；　fire　issued　therefrom　and　burnt　up　all　the　trees　that　were　about　it；　wherefore　I　was　affrighted　and　fear　took　me。　Then　I　awoke　and　sent　to　bid　thee　to　me；　because　of　thy　much　knowledge　and　skill　in　the　interpretation　of　dreams　and　of　that　which　I　know　of　the　extent　of　thy　wisdom　and　the　greatness　of　thine　understanding。'

The　vizier　bowed　his　head　awhile　and　presently　raising　it；　smiled；　whereupon　the　king　said　to　him；　'What　deemest　thou；　O　Shimas？　Tell　me　the　truth　of　the　matter　and　hide　nothing　from　me。'　'O　king；'　answered　Shimas；　'verily　God　the　Most　High　granteth　thee　thy　wish　and　solaceth　thine　eyes；　for　the　matter　of　this　dream　presageth　all　good；　to　wit；　that　God　will　bless　thee　with　a　son；　who　shall　inherit　the　kingdom　from　thee；　after　thy　long　life。　But　there　is　somewhat　else　that　I　desire　not　to　expound　at　this　present；　seeing　that　the　time　is　not　favourable　for　its　exposition。'　The　king　rejoiced　in　this　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　great　was　his　contentment；　his　trouble　ceased　from　him　and　he　said；　'If　the　case　be　thus　of　the　happy　presage　of　my　dream；　do　thou　plete　to　me　its　interpretation；　when　the　fitting　time　eth：　for　that　which　it　behoveth　not　to　expound　to　me　now；　it　behoveth　tha