一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第28章

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！


their　errand；　without　drawing　sword。

The　wind　blew　fair　for　them　and　they　sailed　on；　without　hindrance；　till　they　reached　the　city　of　France　and　landing　with　the　princess；　carried　her　to　her　father；　who　received　her；　seated　on　the　throne　of　his　kingship。　As　soon　as　he　saw　her；　he　said　to　her；　'Out　on　thee；　O　traitress！　What　ailed　thee　to　leave　the　faith　of　thy　forefathers　and　the　safeguard　of　the　Messiah；　on　whom　is　our　reliance；　and　follow　after　the　faith　of　the　vagabonds；　（94）　to　wit；　the　faith　of　Islam；　the　which　arose　with　the　sword　against　the　Cross　and　the　Images？'　'I　am　not　at　fault；'　replied　Meryem。　'I　went　out　by　night　to　the　church；　to　visit　the　Lady　Mary　and　seek　a　blessing　of　her；　when　there　fell　upon　me；　at　unawares；　a　band　of　Muslim　robbers；　who　gagged　me　and　bound　me　fast　and　carrying　me　on　board　the　bark；　set　sail　with　me　for　their　own　country。　However；　I　beguiled　them　and　talked　with　them　of　their　religion；　till　they　loosed　my　bonds；　and　before　I　knew　what　was　toward；　thy　men　overtook　me　and　delivered　me。　And　by　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith　and　the　Cross　and　Him　who　was　crucified　thereof　I　rejoiced　with　an　exceeding　joy　in　my　release　from　them　and　my　bosom　expanded　and　I　was　glad　fob　my　deliverance　from　the　bondage　of　the　Muslims！'　'Thou　liest；　O　shameless　baggage！'　rejoined　the　king。　'By　the　virtue　of　that　which　is　revealed　of　prohibition　and　allowance　in　the　manifest　evangel；　（95）　I　will　assuredly　slay　thee　after　the　foulest　fashion　and　make　of　thee　the　vilest　of　examples！　Did　it　not　suffice　thee　to　do　as　thou　didst　the　first　time　and　put　off　thy　lies　upon　us；　but　thou　must　return　upon　us　with　thy　falsehoods？'

Then　he　manded　to　slay　her　and　crucify　her　over　the　gate　of　the　palace：　but　the　oneeyed　vizier；　who　had　long　been　enamoured　of　the　princess；　came　in　to　him　and　said；　'Slay　her　not；　but　give　her　to　me　to　wife；　and　I　will　watch　over　her　with　the　utmost　vigilance；　nor　will　I　go　in　to　her；　till　I　have　built　her　a　palace　of　solid　stone；　exceeding　high　of　fashion；　so　no　thieves　may　avail　to　climb　up　to　its　roof；　and　when　I　have　made　an　end　of　building　it；　I　will　sacrifice　thirty　Muslims　before　the　gate　thereof；　as　an　expiatory　offering　to　the　Messiah　for　her　and　for　myself。'　The　king　granted　his　request　and　bade　the　priests　and　monks　and　patriarchs　marry　the　princess　to　him；　so　they　did　his　bidding；　whereupon　he　gave　mandment　to　set　about　building　a　strong　and　lofty　palace；　befitting　her；　and　the　workmen　fell　to　work　upon　it。

To　return　to　Noureddin。　When　he　came　back　with　the　veils　and　what　not　else　he　had　borrowed　of　the　druggist's　wife；　he　'found　the　air　empty　and　the　place　of　visitation　distant；'　whereupon　his　heart　sank　within　him　and　he　wept　floods　of　tears　and　recited　the　following　verses：

　　The　phantom　of　Saada　came　to　me　by　night；　near　the　break　of　day；　And　roused　me；　whenas　my　rades　all　in　the　desert　sleeping　lay：
　　But；　when　I　awoke　to　the　dream　of　the　night；　that　came　to　visit　me；　I　found　the　air　void　and　the　wonted　place　of　our　rendezvous　far　away。　
Then　he　walked　on　along　the　beach　and　turned　right　and　left；　till　he　saw　people　gathered　together　on　the　beach　and　heard　them　say；　'O　Muslims；　there　abideth　no　sanctity　in　the　city　of　Alexandria；　since　the　Franks　enter　it　and　snatch　away　those　who　are　therein　and　return　to　their　own　land　at　their　leisure；　unpursued　of　any　of　the　Muslims　or　menofwar！'　Quoth　Noureddin　to　them；　'What　is　to　do？'　And　they　answered；　'O　my　son；　one　of　the　ships　of　the　Franks；　full　of　armed　men；　came　down　but　now　upon　the　harbour　and　carried　off　a　ship　that　was　moored　here；　with　her　who　was　therein；　and　made　for　their　own　land　unhindered。'　Noureddin　fell　down　in　a　swoon；　on　hearing　these　words；　and　when　he　came　to　himself；　they　questioned　him　of　his　case　and　he　told　them　all　that　had　befallen　him；　whereupon　they　all　fell　to　blaming　him　and　railing　at　him；　saying；　'Why　couldst　thou　not　bring　her　up　into　the　town　without　veil　and　muffler？'　And　each　gave　him　some　grievous　word；　berating　him　with　sharp　speech；　and　shot　at　him　each　his　shaft　of　reproach；　albeit　some　said；　'Let　him　be；　that　which　hath　befallen　him　sufficeth　him；'　till　he　again　fell　down　in　a　swoon。

At　this　moment；　up　came　the　old　druggist；　who；　seeing　the　folk　gathered　together；　drew　near　to　learn　what　was　the　matter　and　found　Noureddin　lying　aswoon　in　their　midst。　So　he　sat　down　at　his　head　and　arousing　him；　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　what　is　this　case　in　which　I　see　thee？'　'O　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'I　had　brought　back　my　slavegirl；　whom　I　lost；　from　her　father's　city；　after　suffering　all　manner　of　perils　and　hardships；　and　when　I　came　hither　with　her；　I　made　the　vessel　fast　to　the　shore　and　leaving　her　therein；　repaired　to　thy　dwelling　and　took　of　thy　wife　what　was　needful　for　her；　that　I　might　bring　her　up　into　the　city；　but　the　Franks　came　and　taking　the　ship　and　the　damsel　therein；　made　off　unhindered；　and　returned　to　their　own　land。'

When　the　druggist　heard　this；　the　light　in　his　eyes　became　darkness　and　he　grieved　sore　for　Noureddin　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　why　didst　thou　not　bring　her　out　of　the　ship　into　the　city　without　a　veil？　But　talk　availeth　not　at　this　season；　so　rise；　O　my　son；　and　e　up　with　me　to　the　city；　it　may　be　God　will　vouchsafe　thee　a　girl　fairer　than　she；　who　shall　console　thee　for　her。　Praised　be　God　who　hath　not　made　thee　lose　aught　by　her！　Nay；　thou　hast　gained　by　her。　And　bethink　thee；　O　my　son；　that　union　and　separation　are　in　the　hands　of　the　Most　High　King。'　'By　Allah；　O　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'I　can　never　be　consoled　for　her　loss　nor　will　I　ever　leave　seeking　her；　though　I　drink　the　cup　of　death　on　her　account！'　'O　my　son；'　rejoined　the　druggist；　'and　what　dost　thou　purpose　to　do？'　Quoth　Noureddin；　'I　purpose　to　return　to　the　land　of　the　Franks　and　enter　the　city　of　France　and　venture　myself　there；　e　what　may。'　'O　my　son；'　said　the　druggist；　'quoth　the　current　byword；　〃Not　always　es　the　pitcher　off　unbroken；〃　and　if　they　did　thee　no　hurt　before；　belike　they　will　slay　thee　this　time；　more　by　token　that　they　know　thee　now　but　too　well。'　'O　my　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'let　me　set　out　and　be　slain　presently　for　the　love　of　her；　and　not　die　slowly　of　despair　for　her　loss。'

Now；　as　fate　would　have　it；　there　was　then　a　ship　in　the　port　ready　to　sail；　for　its　passengers　had　made　an　end　of　their　affairs　and　the　sailors　had　pulled　up　the　mooring　stakes；　when　Noureddin　embarked　in　her。　So　they　put　out　to　sea　and　sailed　many　days；　with　fair　wind　and　weather；　till　they　fell　in　with　certain　of　the　Frank　cruisers；　that　were　scouring　those　waters　and　seizing　upon　all　ships　they　saw；　in　their　fear　for　the　king's　daughter　from　the　Muslim　corsairs：　and　as　often　as　they　made　prize　of　a　Muslim　ship；　they　carried　all　her　people　to　the　King　of　France；　who　put　them　to　death　in　acplishment　of　the　vow　he　had　made　on　account　of　his　daughter　Meryem。　So　they　boarded　the　ship　in　which　was　Noureddin　and　taking　him　and　the　rest　of　the　pany　prisoners；　to　the　number　of　a　hundred　Muslims；　carried　them　to　the　king；　who　bade　cut　their　throats。　So　they　slaughtered　them　all；　one　after　another；　till　there　was　none　left　but　Noureddin；　whom　the　headsman　had　left　till　the　last；　in　pity　of　his　tender　age　and　slender　shape。

When　the　king　saw　him；　he　knew　him　right　well　and　said　to　him；　'Art　thou　not　Noureddin；　that　was　with　us　before？'　'I　was　never　with　thee；'　answered　he；　'and　my　name　is　not　Noureddin；　but　Ibrahim。'　'Thou　liest；'　rejoined　the　king；　'thou　art　Noureddin；　he　whom　I　gave　to　the　old　woman；　the　prioress；　to　help　her　in　the　service　of　the　church。'　But　Noureddin　said；　'O　my　lord；　my　name　is　Ibrahim。'　Quoth　the　king；　'Wait　awhile；'　and　bade　his　knights　fetch　the　old　woman　forthright；　saying；　'When　she　es　and　sees　thee；　she　will　know　if　thou　be　Noureddin　or　not。'　At　this　juncture；　in　came　the　one　eyed　vizier　and　kissing　the　earth　before　the　king；　said　to　him；　'Know；　O　king；　that　the　palace　is　finished；　and　thou　knoweth　that　I　vowed　to　the　Messiah　that；　when　I　had　made　an　end　of　building　it；　I　would　slaughter　thirty　Muslims　before　its　gate；　wherefore　I　am　e　to　get　them　of　thee；　that　I　may　sacrifice　them　and　so　fulfil　my　vow　to　the　Messiah。　They　shall　be　at　my　charge；　by　way　of　loan　and　whenas　there　e　prisoners　to　my　hands；　I　will　give　thee　other　thirty　in　their　stead。'　'By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith；'　replied　the　king；　'I　have　but　this　one　captive　left！'　And　he　pointed　to　Noureddin。　'Take　him　and　slaughter　him　now；　and　the　rest　I　will　send　thee；　whenas　there　e　to　my　hands　＇other＇　prisoners　of　the　Muslims。'

So　the　vizier　took　Noureddin　and　carried　him　to　his　palace；　thinking　to　slaughter　him　on　the　threshold　of　the　gate；　but　the　painters　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　we　have　two　days'　painting　yet　to　do；　so　have　patience　with　us　and　delay　to　slaughter　this　captive；　till　we　have　made　an　end　of　our　work；　belike　by　that　time　the　rest　of　the　thirty　will　e；　so　thou　mayst　despatch　them　all　at　one　but　and　acplish　thy　vow　in　one　day。'　So　the　vizier　bade　imprison　him　and　they　carried　him　to　the　stables　and　left　him　there　in　chains；　hungering　and　thirsting　and　making　moan　for　himself；　for　indeed　he　saw　death　face　to　face。

Now　it　chanced；　by　the　ordinance　of　destiny　and　for