一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第68部分

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ht　the　barber　brought　him　a　full　dish　from　the　captain's　table。

They　fared　thus　twenty　days；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　galleon　cast　anchor　in　the　harbour　of　a　city；　whereupon　they　took　leave　of　the　captain　and　landing；　entered　the　town　and　took　them　a　lodging　in　a　khan。　Abousir　furnished　the　room　and　buying　a　cooking　pot　and　a　platter　and　spoons　and　what　else　they　needed；　fetched　meat　and　cooked　it；　but　Aboukir　fell　asleep　the　moment　he　entered　the　khan　and　awoke　not　till　his　panion　aroused　him　and　set　the　tray　of　food　before　him。　When　he　awoke；　he　ate　and　saying　to　Abousir；　'Blame　me　not；　for　I　am　giddy；'　fell　asleep　again。　Thus　he　did　forty　days；　whilst；　every　day；　the　barber　took　his　tools　and　making　the　round　of　the　city；　wrought　for　that　which　fell　to　his　lot；　and　returning；　found　the　dyer　asleep　and　aroused　him。　No　sooner　did　he　wake　than　he　fell　ravenously　upon　the　food；　eating　as　one　who　cannot　have　his　fill　nor　be　content；　after　which　he　went　to　sleep　again。

On　this　wise　he　passed　other　forty　days；　and　whenever　the　barber　said　to　him；　'Sit　up　and　shake　off　this　torpor　and　go　forth　and　take　an　airing　in　the　city；　for　it　is　a　bright　and　pleasant　place　and　hath　not　its　equal　among　the　cities；'　he　would　answer；　saying；　'Blame　me　not；　for　I　am　＇still＇　giddy。'　Abousir　cared　not　to　vex　him　nor　give　him　hard　words；　but；　on　the　fortyfirst　day；　he　himself　fell　sick　and　could　not　go　abroad；　so　he　pressed　the　porter　of　the　khan　into　his　service；　and　he　did　their　occasions　and　brought　them　meat　and　drink　four　days；　whilst　Aboukir　did　nothing　but　eat　and　sleep。　At　the　end　of　this　time；　the　barber's　sickness　redoubled　on　him；　till　he　lost　his　senses　for　stress　thereof；　and　Aboukir；　feeling　the　pangs　of　hunger；　arose　and　sought　in　his　rade's　clothes；　where　he　found　a　thousand　paras。　So　he　took　them　and　shutting　the　door　of　the　chamber　upon　Abousir；　went　out；　without　telling　any；　and　the　doorkeeper　of　the　inn　was　then　at　market　and　thus　saw　him　not　go　out。

Aboukir　betook　himself　to　the　bazaar　and　clad　himself　in　rich　apparel；　at　a　cost　of　five　hundred　paras；　then　he　proceeded　to　walk　about　and　divert　himself　by　viewing　the　place；　which　he　found　a　city　whose　like　was　not　among　cities；　but　he　noted　that　all　its　people　were　clad　in　clothes　of　white　and　blue；　without　other　colour。　Presently　he　came　to　a　dyer's　and　seeing　nought　but　blue　in　his　shop；　pulled　out　to　him　a　kerchief　and　said；　'O　master；　take　this　kerchief　and　dye　it　and　take　thy　hire。'　Quoth　the　dyer；　'The　cost　of　dying　this　will　be　twenty　dirhems。'　'In　our　country；'　said　Aboukir；　'we　dye　it　for　two。'　'Then　go　and　dye　it　in　your　own　country；'　answered　the　dyer。　'As　for　me；　my　price　is　twenty　dirhems　and　I　will　not　bate　a　tittle　thereof。'　'What　colour　wilt　thou　dye　it？'　asked　Aboukir；　and　the　dyer　said；　'I　will　dye　it　blue。'　Quoth　Aboukir；　'But　I　want　it　dyed　red。'　'I　know　not　how　to　dye　red；'　answered　the　dyer。　'Then　dye　it　green；'　rejoined　Aboukir。　But　the　dyer　said；　'I　know　not　how　to　dye　green。'　'Yellow；'　said　Aboukir。　'Nor　yet　yellow；'　answered　the　dyer；　and　Aboukir　went　on　to　name　the　different　colours　to　him；　one　after　another；　till　the　dyer　said；　'We　are　here　in　this　city　forty　masterdyers；　neither　more　nor　less；　and　when　one　of　us　dies；　we　teach　his　son　the　craft。　If　he　leave　no　son；　we　abide　wanting　one；　and　if　he　leave　two　sons；　we　teach　one　of　them　the　craft；　and　if　he　die；　we　teach　his　brother。　This　our　craft　is　straitly　ordered　and　we　know　not　how　to　dye　aught　but　blue。'

Then　said　Aboukir；　'Know　that　I　also　am　a　dyer　and　know　how　to　dye　all　colours；　and　I　would　have　thee　take　me　into　thy　service　on　hire；　and　I　will　teach　thee　my　art；　so　thou　mayst　glory　therein　over　all　the　pany　of　dyers。'　But　the　dyer　answered；　'We　never　admit　a　stranger　into　our　craft。'　'And　what　if　I　open　a　dyery　for　myself？'　asked　Aboukir。　'We　will　not　suffer　thee　to　do　that；'　replied　the　other；　whereupon　he　left　him　and　going　to　a　second　dyer；　made　him　the　like　proposal；　but　he　returned　him　the　same　answer　as　the　first；　and　he　ceased　not　to　go　from　one　to　another；　till　he　had　made　the　round　of　the　whole　forty；　but　they　would　not　accept　of　him　either　to　master　or　journeyman。　Then　he　repaired　to　the　Syndic　of　the　Dyers　and　told　him　what　had　passed；　and　he　said；　'We　admit　no　stranger　into　our　craft。'

With　this　Aboukir　became　exceeding　wroth　and　going　up　to　the　king　of　the　city；　made　plaint　to　him；　saying；　'O　king　of　the　age；　I　am　a　stranger　and　a　dyer　by　trade；'　and　he　told　him　what　had　passed　between　himself　and　the　dyers　of　the　town；　adding；　'I　can　dye　various　kinds　of　red；　such　as　rosecolour　and　carnation；　（189）　and　various　kinds　of　green；　such　as　grassgreen　and　pistachiogreen　and　olive　and　parrot's　wing；　and　various　kinds　of　black；　such　as　coalblack　and　blueblack；　and　various　shades　of　yellow；　such　as　orange　and　lemoncolour；'　and　went　on　to　name　to　him　the　rest　of　the　colours。　Then　said　he；　'O　king　of　the　age；　there　is　not　a　dyer　in　thy　city　who　can　avail　to　any　one　of　these　colours；　for　they　know　not　how　to　dye　aught　but　blue；　yet　will　they　not　admit　me　amongst　them；　either　as　master　or　journeyman。'　'Thou　sayst　sooth　for　that　matter；'　answered　the　king；　'but　I　will　open　thee　a　dyery　and　give　thee　capital　and　have　thou　no　care　for　them；　for　whoso　offereth　to　do　thee　hindrance；　I　will　hang　him　over　the　door　of　his　shop。

Then　he　sent　for　builders　and　said　to　them；　'Go　round　about　the　city　with　this　master；　and　whatsoever　place　pleases　him；　be　it　shop　or　khan　or　what　not；　turn　out　its　occupier　and　build　him　a　dyery　after　his　wish。　Whatsoever　he　bids　you；　that　do　ye　and　gainsay　him　not　in　aught。'　And　he　clad　him　in　a　handsome　suit　and　gave　him　two　white　slaves；　to　serve　him；　and　a　horse　with　housings　of　brocade　and　a　thousand　dinars；　saying；　'Provide　thyself　with　this；　against　the　building　be　pleted。'　So　Aboukir　donned　the　dress　and　mounting　the　horse；　became　as　he　were　an　amir。　Moreover　the　king　assigned　him　a　house　and　bade　furnish　it；　so　they　furnished　it　for　him　and　he　took　up　his　abode　therein。

On　the　morrow　he　mounted　and　rode　through　the　city；　looking　about　him；　whilst　the　architects　went　before　him；　till　he　saw　a　place　that　pleased　him　and　said；　'This　place　is　good；'　whereupon　they　turned　out　the　owner　thereof　and　carried　him　to　the　king；　who　gave　him；　to　the　price　of　his　holding；　what　more　than　contented　him。　Then　the　builders　fell　to　work；　whilst　Aboukir　said　to　them；　'Build　thus　and　thus　and　do　this　and　that；'　till　they　built　him　a　dyery　that　had　not　its　like；　whereupon　he　presented　himself　before　the　king　and　informed　him　that　they　had　made　an　end　of　building　the　dyery　and　that　there　needed　but　the　price　of　the　dyestuffs　and　gear　to　set　it　awork。　Quoth　the　king；　'Take　these　four　thousand　dinars　to　thy　capital　and　let　me　see　the　oute　of　thy　dyery。'　So　he　took　the　money　and　went　to　the　market；　where；　finding　dyestuffs　（190）　plentiful　and　＇wellnigh＇　valueless；　he　bought　all　that　he　needed　of　materials　for　dyeing；　and　the　king　sent　him　five　hundred　pieces　of　stuff；　which　he　proceeded　to　dye　of　all　colours　and　spread　them　before　the　door　of　his　dyery。

When　the　folk　passed　by　the　shop；　they　saw　this　wonderful　sight；　whose　like　they　had　never　in　their　lives　seen；　so　they　crowded　about　the　door；　staring　and　questioning　the　dyer　and　saying；　'O　master；　what　are　tne　names　of　these　colours？'　Quoth　he；　'This　is　red　and　that　yellow　and　the　other　green；'　and　so　on　with　the　rest　of　the　colours。　And　they　fell　to　bringing　him　stuffs　and　saying　to　him；　'Dye　this　for　us　like　this　and　that　and　take　what　thou　seekest　＇to　thy　hire＇。'　When　he　had　made　an　end　of　dyeing　the　king's　stuffs；　he　took　them　and　went　up　with　them　to　the　divan；　and　when　the　king　saw　them　he　rejoiced　in　them　and　bestowed　abundant　largesse　on　the　dyer。　Moreover；　all　the　troops　brought　him　stuffs；　saying；　'Dye　for　us　thus　and　thus；'　and　he　dyed　for　them　to　their　wish；　and　they　threw　him　gold　and　silver。　On　this　wise　his　fame　spread　abroad　and　his　shop　was　called　the　Sultan's　dyery。　Good　came　in　to　him　at　every　door　and　he　became　the　owner　of　slaves；　male　and　female；　and　amassed　store　of　wealth。　None　of　the　other　dyers　dared　say　a　word　to　him；　but　they　used　to　e　to　him；　kissing　his　hands　and　excusing　themselves　to　him