一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第7部分

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　　An　eye　of　red　it　shows　and　lips　Like　camel's　lips：　its　face　doth　swell；
　　For　very　redness；　still　with　wrath。　So　look；　O　man；　thou　guard　thee　well。
　　If　thou　e　to　it　with　intent　To　do；　thou'lt　find　it　hot　as　hell；
　　Ardent　of　meeting　and　endowed　With　strength　to　battle　fierce　and　fell；
　　And　well　I　wot；　each　champion；　eased　Of　lust　of　battle；　'twill　repel。
　　Bytimes　thou'lt　find　it　with　a　beard；　As　'twere　a　man's；　another　spell
　　Thou'lt　find　it　beardless；　hot　with　lust　Of　battle　'gainst　the　infidel。
　　One　who　is　great　of　grace　and　sheen　To　thee　of　this　doth　tidings　tell；
　　One　from　whom　Zein　herself　alone　For　all　perfection　bears　the　bell。
　　I　came　to　her　by　night　and　got　That　which　was　sweet　as　？nomel；
　　Yes；　and　the　night　I　lay　with　her　Did　all　mine　other　nights　excel。
　　When　daybreak　came；　with　newmoon　face　She　rose　and　shape　as　flexible
　　As　swaying　boughs　or　slender　spears；　And　turned　to　me　to　say　farewell。
　　Quoth　she；　'When　shall　the　nights　return　Wherein　such　joyance　us　befell？'
　　And　I；　'O　lustre　of　mine　eyes；　e；'　answered；　'when　it　likes　thee　well。'　
Zein　el　Mewasif　was　charmed　with　these　verses　and　the　utmost　gladness　possessed　her。　Then　said　she；　'O　Mesrour；　the　day　is　at　hand　and　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　depart；　for　fear　of　scandal。'　'I　hear　and　obey；'　answered　he　and　rising；　carried　her　to　her　house；　after　which　he　returned　home　and　passed　the　rest　of　the　night　meditating　on　her　charms。　When　the　morning　appeared　and　gave　forth　its　light　and　shone；　he　made　ready　a　sumptuous　present　and　carried　it　to　her　and　sat　with　her。

They　abode　thus　awhile；　in　all　delight　and　solace　of　life；　till　one　day　there　came　to　Zein　el　Mewasif　a　letter　from　her　husband；　advising　her　of　his　speedy　return。　'May　God　not　preserve　him　nor　quicken　him！'　exclaimed　she。　'If　he　e　hither；　our　life　will　be　troubled。　Would　I　might　despair　of　him！'　Presently　came　Mesrour　and　sat　talking　with　her；　as　of　wont；　and　she　said　to　him；　'O　Mesrour；　I　have　received　a　letter　from　my　husband；　announcing　his　speedy　return　from　his　travels。　What　is　to　be　done；　since　neither　of　us　can　live　without　the　other？'　'I　know　not；'　answered　he；　'but　thou　art　better　able　to　judge；　being　acquainted　with　thy　husband's　ways；　more　by　token　that　thou　art　one　of　the　keenestwitted　of　women　and　mistress　of　devices　such　as　contrive　that　whereof　men　fail。'　Quoth　she；　'He　is　a　hard　man　and　jealous　of　the　people　of　his　household：　but；　when　thou　hearest　of　his　ing；　do　thou　repair　to　him　and　salute　him　and　sit　down　by　his　side；　saying；　〃O　my　brother；　I　am　a　druggist。〃　Then　buy　of　him　various　kinds　of　drugs　and　spices　and　pay　him　frequent　visits　and　talk　long　with　him　and　gainsay　him　not　in　whatsoever　he　shall　bid　thee；　so　haply　that　may　betide；　＇as＇　of　chance；　for　which　I　would　fain　contrive。'　'I　hear　and　obey；'　answered　Mesrour　and　went　out　from　her；　with　a　heart　on　fire　for　love。

When　her　husband　came　home；　she　rejoiced　in　him　and　bade　him　wele；　but　he　looked　in　her　face　and　seeing　it　pale　and　sallow；　（for　she　had　washed　it　with　saffron；　making　usage　therein　of　one　of　women's　arts；）　asked　her　how　she　did。　She　replied　that　she　had　been　sick；　she　and　her　women；　from　the　time　of　his　setting　out　on　his　journey；　and　said；　'Verily；　our　hearts　have　been　troubled　for　thee　by　reason　of　the　length　of　thine　absence。'　And　she　went　on　to　plain　to　him　of　the　misery　of　separation　and　to　weep　copious　tears；　saying；　'Hadst　thou　but　a　panion　with　thee；　my　heart　had　not　suffered　all　this　anxiety　for　thee。　So；　God　upon　thee；　O　my　lord；　travel　not　again　without　a　panion　and　keep　me　not　without　news　of　thee；　that　my　heart　and　mind　may　be　at　rest　concerning　thee！'　'With　all　my　heart；'　answered　he。　'Thy　counsel　is　good；　and　by　thy　life；　it　shall　be　as　thou　wishest。'

Then　he　took　some　of　his　goods　and　carrying　them　to　his　shop；　opened　it　and　sat　down　to　sell　in　the　bazaar。　Presently　up　came　Mesrour　and　saluting　him；　sat　down　by　his　side　and　talked　with　him　awhile。　Then　he　pulled　out　a　purse　and　taking　forth　gold；　handed　it　to　the　Jew　and　said；　'Give　me　the　worth　of　this　money　in　various　kinds　of　drugs　and　spices；　that　I　may　sell　them　in　my　shop。'　'I　hear　and　obey；'　answered　he　and　gave　him　what　he　sought。　Mesrour　continued　to　pay　him　frequent　visits；　till；　one　day；　the　merchant　said　to　him；　'I　have　a　mind　to　take　me　a　man　to　partner　in　trade。'　'And　I　also；'　replied　Mesrour；　'desire　to　take　a　partner；　for　my　father　was　a　merchant　in　the　land　of　Yemen　and　left　me　great　wealth　and　I　fear　lest　it　go　from　me。'　Quoth　the　Jew；　'Wilt　thou　be　my　partner；　and　I　will　be　thine　and　a　true　friend　and　rade　to　thee　at　home　and　abroad；　and　I　will　teach　thee　to　sell　and　buy　and　give　and　take？'　And　Mesrour　said；　'With　all　my　heart。'

So　the　merchant　carried　him　to　his　house　and　seated　him　in　the　vestibule；　whilst　he　went　in　to　his　wife　and　said　to　her；　'I　have　taken　me　a　partner　and　have　bidden　him　hither　as　a　guest；　so　do　thou　prepare　us　a　handsome　entertainment。'　When　she　heard　this；　she　rejoiced；　doubting　not　but　this　was　Mesrour；　and　made　ready　a　magnificent　banquet；　of　her　joy　in　the　success　of　her　device。　Then　said　her　husband　to　her；　'e　out　with　me　to　him　and　bid　him　wele　and　say；　〃Thou　gladdenest　us　＇with　thy　pany＇。〃'　But　she　made　a　show　of　anger；　saying；　'Wilt　thou　have　me　discover　myself　to　a　strange　man？　God　forbid！　Though　thou　cut　me　in　pieces；　I　will　not　appear　before　him！'　'Why　shouldst　thou　be　abashed　at　him；'　rejoined　he；　'seeing　that　he　is　a　Nazarene　and　we　are　Jews　and　we　are　bee　associates；　he　and　I？'　Quoth　she；　'It　liketh　me　not　to　present　myself　before　a　strange　man；　on　whom　I　have　never　set　eyes　and　whom　I　know　not。'

He　thought　she　spoke　sooth　and　ceased　not　to　importune　her；　till　she　rose　and　veiling　herself；　took　the　food　and　went　out　to　Mesrour　and　bade　him　wele；　whereupon　he　bowed　his　head；　as　he　were　ashamed；　and　the　Jew；　seeing　this；　said　in　himself；　'Doubtless；　this　man　is　a　devotee。'　They　ate　their　fill　and　the　table　being　removed；　wine　was　set　on。　As　for　Zein　el　Mewasif；　she　sat　over　against　her　lover　and　gazed　on　him　and　he　on　her　till　ended　day；　when　Mesrour　went　home；　with　a　heart　on　fire　and　the　Jew　abode　pondering　the　grace　and　goodliness　of　his　new　partner。　As　soon　as　it　was　night；　his　wife　brought　him　the　evening　meal　and　they　sat　down　to　eat。

Now　he　had　a　mockingbird；　that　was　used；　whenas　he　sat　down　to　meat；　to　e　and　eat　with　him　and　hover　about　his　head；　but　in　his　absence　it　was　grown　familiar　with　Mesrour　and　used　to　eat　with　him　and　hover　about　him。　When　its　master　returned；　it　knew　him　not　and　would　not　draw　near　him；　and　this　made　him　thoughtful。　As　for　Zein　el　Mewasif；　she　could　not　sleep　for　thinking　of　Mesrour；　and　thus　it　was　with　her　three　nights；　till　the　Jew　became　aware　of　her　distraction　and　watching　her；　began　to　suspect　something　wrong。　On　the　fourth　night；　he　awoke　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　heard　his　wife　talking　in　her　sleep　and　calling　upon　Mesrour；　what　while　she　lay　in　her　husband's　arms；　wherefore　he　misdoubted　of　her；　but　he　dissembled　his　suspicions　and　on　the　morrow　betook　himself　to　his　shop　and　sat　there。　Presently；　up　came　Mesrour　and　saluted　him。　He　returned　his　greeting　and　said　to　him；　'Wele；　O　my　brother！　I　have　wished　for　thee；'　and　he　sat　talking　with　him　awhile；　after　which　he　said　to　him；　'O　my　brother；　e　with　me　to　my　house；　that　we　may　enter　into　the　pact　of　brotherhood。'　（12）　'With　all　my　heart；'　replied　Mesrour　and　they　went　to　the　Jew's　house；　where　the　latter　went　in　and　told　his　wife　of　Mesrour's　ing；　saying；　'Make　us　ready　a　goodly　entertainment；　and　needs　must　thou　be　present　and　witness　our　brotherhood。'　But　she　answered；　'God　on　thee；　cause　me　not　show　myself　to　this　strange　man；　for　I　have　no　mind　to　pany　with　him。'　So　he　forbore　to　press　her　and　bade　the　waitingwomen　bring　meat　and　drink。　Then　he　called　the　mockingbird；　but　it　knew　him　not　and　settled　in　Mesrour's　lap；　and　the　Jew　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　what　is　thy　name？'　and　he　answered；　'Mesrour。'　Whereupon　the　Jew　remembered　that　this　was　the　name　which　his　wife　had　repeated　all　night　long　in　her　sleep。

Presently；　he　raised　his　head　and　saw　her　making　signs　to　Mesrour　and　motioning　to　him　with　her　eyebrows；　wherefore　he　knew　that　he　had　been　t