一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第25章

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of　the　ship　that　had　carried　her　off；　whilst　sighs　burst　from　his　breast　and　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Peace　be　upon　thee！　Nought　to　me　can　pensate　for　thee：　I'm　in　two　cases；　near　in　thought；　yet　distant　verily。
　　I　long　for　thee　each　time　and　tide；　even　as　a　man　athirst　Longs　for　the　distant　wateringplace；　that　still　from　him　doth　flee。
　　With　thee　my　hearing　and　my　sight；　my　heart　and　spirit　are：　Thy　memory　than　honey's　self　is　sweeter　far　to　me。
　　O　my　despair；　whenas　your　train　departed　and　your　ship　Fared　from　the　vision　of　mine　eyes　with　thee　across　the　sea。　
And　he　wept　and　wailed　and　bemoaned　himself；　crying　out　and　saying；　'O　Meryem！　O　Meryem！　Was　it　but　in　sleep　I　saw　thee　or　in　the　illusions　of　dreams？'　And　by　reason　of　that　which　waxed　on　him　of　regrets；　he　recited　these　verses：

　　Shall　mine　eyes　ever　look　on　thee；　after　this　parting's　pain；　And　shall　I　ever　hear　thy　call　by　house　and　camp　again？
　　And　shall　the　house　our　presence　cheered　once　more　unite　us　two？　Shall　it　my　heart's　desire　and　thine　be　given　us　to　attain？
　　Take　my　bones　with　thee　by　the　way　and　where　thou　lightest　down；　Bury　them　near　thee；　so　they　may　with　thee　for　aye　remain。
　　Had　I　a　pair　of　hearts；　with　one　I'd　make　a　shift　to　live　And　leave　the　other　to　consume　for　love　of　thee　in　vain；
　　And　if；　'What　wouldst　thou　leave　of　God？'　'twere　asked　of　me；　I'd　say；　'Th'　Almighty's　favours　first；　then　hers；　my　prayer　to　seek　were　fain。'　
As　he　was　in　this　case；　weeping　and　crying　out；　'O　Meryem！'　an　old　man　landed　from　a　vessel　and　ing　up　to　him；　saw　him　weeping　and　heard　him　recite　these　verses：

　　O　Meryem　of　loveliness；　（81）　return　to　me　again；　My　eyeballs　are　as　clouds　that　pour　with　neverceasing　rain。
　　Do　thou　but　ask；　concerning　me；　of　those　at　me　that　rail；　They'll　tell　thee　that　my　lids　lie　drowned　within　their　fountains　twain。　
'O　my　son；'　said　the　old　man；　'meseems　thou　weepest　for　the　damsel　who　sailed　yesterday　with　the　Frank？'　When　Noureddin　heard　his　words；　he　fell　down　in　a　swoon　and　lay　awhile　without　life；　then；　ing　to　himself；　he　wept　passing　sore　and　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Is　union　after　severance　with　her　past　hoping　for　And　will　the　perfectness　of　cheer　return　to　me　no　more？
　　Anguish　and　love　have　taken　up　their　lodging　in　my　heart：　The　plate　and　gabble　of　the　spies　and　railers　irks　me　sore。
　　I　pass　the　day　long　in　amaze；　confounded；　and　anights　To　visit　me　in　dreams　of　sleep　her　image　I　implore。
　　Never；　by　God；　a　moment's　space　am　I　for　love　consoled！　How　should　it　be　so；　when　my　heart　the　envious　doth　abhor？
　　A　leveling；　soft　and　delicate　of　sides　and　slim　of　waist；　She　hath　a　beaming　eye；　whose　shafts　are　lodged　in　my　heart's　core。
　　Her　shape　is　as　the　willowwand　i'　the　gardens　and　her　grace　For　goodliness　outshames　the　sun　and　shines　his　splendour　o'er。
　　Feared　I　not　God　（extolled　be　His　majesty！）　I'd　say；　'Extolled　be　Her。　majesty；　the　fair　whom　I　adore！　
The　old　man　looked　at　him　and　noting　his　beauty　and　grace　and　symmetry　and　the　eloquence　of　his　tongue　and　the　seductiveness　of　his　charms；　took　passion　on　him　and　his　heart　mourned　for　his　case。　Now　he　was　the　captain　of　a　ship；　bound　to　the　damsel's　city；　and　in　this　ship　were　a　hundred　Muslim　merchants：　so　he　said　to　Noureddin；　'Have　patience　and　all　shall　yet　be　well；　God　willing；　I　will　bring　thee　to　her。'　'When　shall　we　set　out？'　asked　Noureddin；　and　the　other　said；　'e　but　three　days　more　and　we　will　depart　in　peace　and　prosperity。'　Noureddin　was　mightily　rejoiced　at　the　captain's　words　and　thanked　him　for　his　bounty　and　kindness。　Then　he　recalled　the　days　of　lovedelight　and　union　with　his　slave　girl　without　peer；　and　he　wept　sore　and　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Will　the　passionate；　indeed；　unite　us；　me　and　thee；　And　shall　I　win　to　my　desire　by　favouring　Fate's　decree？
　　And　shall　time's　shifts　vouchsafe　me　yet　a　visit　from　my　fair　And　shall　mine　eyelids　seize　upon　thine　image　greedily？
　　Were　thine　enjoyment　to　be　bought；　I'd　buy　it　with　my　life。　But　thy　possession　is；　alack！　too　dear　for　me；　I　see。　
Then　he　went　to　the　market　and　bought　what　he　needed　of　victual　and　other　necessaries　for　the　voyage　and　returned　to　the　captain；　who　said　to　him；　〃O　my　son；　what　is　that　thou　hast　with　thee？'　'My　provisions　and　that　whereof　I　have　need　for　the　voyage；'　answered　Noureddin。　'O　my　son；'　said　the　old　man；　laughing；　'art　thou　going　apleasuring　to　Pompey's　Pillar？　Verily；　between　thee　and　that　thou　seekest　is　two　months'　journey；　if　the　wind　be　favourable　and　the　weather　fair。'　Then　he　took　of　him　somewhat　of　money　and　going　to　the　market；　bought　him　all　that　he　needed　for　the　voyage　and　filled　him　a　cask　with　fresh　water。　Noureddin　abode　in　the　ship　three　days；　till　the　merchants　had　made　an　end　of　their　preparations　and　embarked；　when　they　set　sail　and　putting　out　to　sea；　fared　on　oneandfifty　days。　After　this；　there　came　out　upon　them　corsairs；　who　sacked　the　ship　and　taking　Noureddin　and　the　rest　prisoners；　carried　them　to　the　city　of　France　and　showed　them　to　the　king；　who　bade　cast　them　into　prison。

At　this　moment　the　galleon　arrived　with　the　Princess　Meryem　and　the　oneeyed　vizier；　and　when　it　reached　the　harbour；　the　latter　landed　and　going　up　to　the　king；　gave　him　the　glad　news　of　his　daughter's　safe　return：　whereupon　they　beat　the　drums　for　good　tidings　and　decorated　the　city　after　the　goodliest　fashion。　Then　the　king　took　horse；　with　all　his　guards　and　nobles；　and　rode　down　to　the　sea　to　meet　her。　Presently；　she　landed　and　the　king　embraced　her　and　mounting　her　on　a　horse；　carried　her　to　the　palace；　where　her　mother　received　her　with　open　arms　and　asked　her　how　she　did　and　whether　she　was　yet　a　maid。　'O　my　mother；'　replied　Meryem；　'how　should　a　girl　who　has　been　sold　from　merchant　to　merchant　in　the　land　of　the　Muslims；　＇a　slave＇　manded；　abide　a　maid　？　The　merchant　who　bought　me　threatened　me　with　beating　and　forced　me　and　did　away　my　maidenhead；　after　which　he　sold　me　to　another　and　he　fain　to　a　third。'

When　the　queen　heard　this；　the　light　in　her　eyes　became　darkness　and　she　repeated　her　words　to　the　king；　who　was　sore　chagrined　thereat　and　his　affair　was　grievous　to　him。　So　he　expounded　her　case　to　his　grandees　and　patriarchs；　（82）　who　said　to　him；　'O　king；　she　hath　been　defiled　by　the　Muslims；　and　nothing　will　purify　her　save　the　striking　off　of　a　hundred　of　their　heads。'　Whereupon　the　king　sent　for　the　prisoners　and　manded　to　strike　off　their　heads。　So　they　beheaded　them；　one　after　another；　beginning　with　the　captain；　till　there　was　none　left　but　Noureddin。　They　tore　off　a　strip　of　his　skirt　and　binding　his　eyes　therewith；　set　him　on　the　carpet　of　blood　and　were　about　to　cut　off　his　head；　when　an　old　woman　came　up　to　the　king　and　said；　'O　my　lord；　thou　didst　vow　to　bestow　upon　the　church　five　Muslim　captives；　to　help　us　in　the　service　thereof；　so　God　would　restore　thee　thy　daughter　the　Princess　Meryem；　and　now　she　is　restored　to　thee；　so　do　thou　fulfil　thy　vow。'　'O　my　mother；'　replied　the　king；　'by　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith；　there　remaih　to　me　but　this　one　captive；　whom　they　are　about　to　put　to　death：　so　take　him　to　help　thee　in　the　service　of　the　church；　till　there　e　to　me　＇other＇　prisoners　of　the　Muslims；　when　I　will　send　thee　other　four。　Hadst　thou　e　earlier；　before　they　cut　of　the　heads　of　these；　I　had　given　thee　as　many　as　thou　wouldst。'

The　old　woman　thanked　him　and　wished　him　continuance　Of　life　and　glory　and　prosperity。　Then　she　went　up　to　Noureddin　and　seeing　him　to　be　a　ely　and　elegant　youth；　with　a　delicate　skin　and　a　face　like　the　moon　at　her　full；　carried　him　to　the　church；　where　she　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　put　of　these　clothes　that　are　upon　thee；　for　they　are　fit　only　for　the　king's　service。'　So　saying；　she　brought　him　a　gown　and　cowl　of　black　wool　and　a　broad　girdle；　in　which　she　clad　him；　and　bade　him　do　the　service　of　the　church。　Accordingly；　he　tended　the　church　seven　days；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　old　woman　came　up　to　him　and　said；　'O　Muslim；　don　thy　silken　clothes　and　take　these　ten　dirhems　and　go　out　forthright　and　divert　thyself　abroad　this　day；　and　tarry　not　here　a　moment；　lest　thou　lose　thy　life。'　Quoth　he；　'What　is　to　do；　O　my　mother？'　And　she　answered；　'Know；　O　my　son；　that　the　king's　daughter；　the　Princess　Meryem；　hath　a　mind　to　visit　the　church　today；　to　seek　a　blessing　thereof　and　to　make　oblation　thereto；　by　way　of　thankoffering　for　her　deliverance　from　the　land　of　the　Muslims　and　in　fulfilment　of　the　vows　she　made　to　the　Messiah；　so　he　would　deliver　her。　With　her　are　four　hundred　damsels；　not　one　of　whom　but　is　perfect　in　beauty　and　grace；　and　they　will　be　here　forthwith；　and　if　their　eyes　fall　on　thee；　they　will　hew　thee　in　pieces　with　swords。'

So　Noureddin　took　the　ten　dirhems　and　donning　his　own　clothes；　went　out　to　the　market　and　walked　about　the　city；　till　he　knew　its　highways　and　gates；　after　which　he　returned　to　the　church　and　saw　the　Princess　Meryem　e　up；　attended　by　four　hundred　damsels；　highbosomed　maids　like　moons；　amongst　whom　was　the　daughter　of　the　oneeyed　vizier　and　those　of　the　amirs　and　grandees　of　the　realm；　and　she　walked　in　their　midst　as　she　were　the　moon　among　the　stars。　When　he　saw　her；　he　could　not　contain　himself　but　crie