一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第31章

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　to　eat　and　drink。'

So　he　called　to　his　eunuchs　and　women　to　bring　food；　and　they　set　before　them　a　tray　containing　birds　of　all　kinds　that　walk　and　fly　and　couple　in　the　nests；　such　as　grouse　and　quails　and　pigeons　and　lambs　and　fat　geese　and　fricasseed　fowls　and　other　dishes　of　all　sorts　and　colours。　The　princess　put　out　her　hand　to　the　tray　and　began　to　eat　and　feed　the　vizier　and　kiss　him　on　the　mouth。　They　ate　till　they　had　enough　and　washed　their　hands；　after　which　the　servants　removed　the　table　of　food　and　set　on　the　table　of　wine。　So　the　princess　filled　the　cup　and　drank　and　gave　the　vizier　to　drink　and　served　him　with　the　utmost　assiduity；　so　that　he　was　transported　for　joy　and　his　breast　expanded　and　he　was　glad。

When　she　saw　that　the　wine　had　gotten　the　mastery　of　his　senses；　she　brought　out　of　her　bosom　a　pastille　of　Moorish　henbane；　which　she　had　provided　against　this　oration；　whereof　if　an　elephant　smelt　the　least　whiff；　he　would　sleep　from　year　to　year。　She　took　him　at　unawares　and　crumbled　the　henbane　into　the　cup；　then；　filling　it　up；　handed　it　to　the　vizier；　who　could　hardly　credit　his　senses　for　joy。　So　he　took　it　and　kissing　her　hand；　drank　it　off；　but　hardly　had　it　reached　his　stomach　when　he　fell　prostrate　on　the　earth。　Then　she　rose　and　filling　two　great　pairs　of　saddlebags　with　what　was　light　of　carriage　and　great　of　price　of　jewels　and　jacinths　and　precious　stones；　together　with　somewhat　of　meat　and　drink；　donned　harness　of　war　and　armed　herself　for　battle。　Moreover；　she　took　with　her　for　Noureddin　what　should　rejoice　him　of　rich　and　royal　apparel　and　splendid　arms　and　armour；　and　shouldering　the　bags；　（for　indeed　she　was　both　strong　and　valiant）；　went　forth　of　the　palace　to　join　her　lover。　

Meanwhile　the　latter　sat　at　the　citygate；　with　the　horses'　halters　in　his　hand；　till　God　（to　whom　belong　might　and　majesty）　sent　a　sleep　upon　him　and　he　slept；　glory　be　to　Him　who　sleepeth　not！　Now；　in　those　days；　the　Kings　of　the　Islands　had　spent　much　measure　in　bribing　folk　to　steal　the　two　horses　or　one　of　them；　and　there　was　a　black　slaver　who　had　been　reared　in　the　islands　and　was　skilled　in　horsestealing；　wherefore　the　kings　of　the　Franks　bribed　him　with　wealth　galore　to　steal　one　of　the　chargers　and　promised　him；　if　he　could　avail　to　steal　the　two　that　they　would　give　him　a　whole　island　and　invest　him　with　a　splendid　dress　of　honour。　He　had　long　gone　about　the　city　of　France　in　disguise；　but　availed　not　to　take　the　horses；　whilst　they　were　with　the　king；　but；　when　he　gave　them　to　the　vizier　and　the　latter　carried　them　to　his　own　stable；　the　thief　rejoiced　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　made　sure　of　success；　saying　in　himself；　'By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith；　I　will　certainly　steal　them！'

Now　he　had　gone　out　that　very　night；　intending　for　the　stable；　to　steal　them；　but；　as　he　went　along；　he　came　upon　Noureddin　lying　asleep；　with　the　halters　in　his　hands。　So　he　went　up　to　the　horses　and　loosing　the　halters　from　their　heads；　was　about　to　mount　one　of　them　and　drive　the　other　before　him；　when　up　came　the　Princess　Meryem；　carrying　the　two　pairs　of　saddlebags。　She　took　the　black　for　Noureddin　and　handed　him　one　pair　of　bags；　which　he　laid　on　one　of　the　horses：　after　which　she　gave　him　the　other　pair　and　he　laid　it　on　the　other　horse；　without　word　said。　Then　they　mounted　and　rode　out　of　the　gate　（106）　in　silence。　'O　my　lord　Noureddin；'　quoth　she；　'what　aileth　thee　to　be　silent？'　Whereupon　the　black　turned　to　her　and　said　angrily；　'What　sayst　thou；　O　damsel？'　When　she　heard　his　outlandish　speech；　she　knew　that　he　was　not　Noureddin：　so　she　looked　at　him　and　saw　that　he　was　a　black　slave；　snubnosed　and　widemouthed；　with　nostrils　like　ewers；　whereupon　the　light　in　her　eyes　became　darkness　and　she　said　to　him；　'Who　art　thou；　O　sheikh　of　the　sons　of　Ham　and　what　is　thy　name　among　men？'　'O　daughter　of　the　base；'　replied　he；　'my　name　is　Mesoud；　and　I　steal　horses；　when　folk　are　asleep。'　She　made　him　no　answer；　but　drawing　her　sabre　forthright；　smote　him　on　the　nape　and　the　blade　came　out；　gleaming；　from　the　tendons　of　his　throat；　whereupon　he　fell　to　the　ground；　weltering　in　his　blood；　and　God　hurried　his　soul　to　the　fire　and　ill　is　the　abiding　place　＇to　which　he　went＇。

Then　she　took　the　other　horse　by　the　bridle　and　retraced　her　steps　in　search　of　Noureddin；　whom　she　found　lying；　asleep　and　snoring；　in　the　place　where　she　had　appointed　him　to　meet　her；　with　the　halters　in　his　hand　and　knowing　not　his　hands　from　his　feet。　So　she　dismounted　and　gave　him　a　cuff；　whereupon　he　awoke　in　affright　and　said　to　her；　'O　my　lady；　praised　be　God　for　thy　safe　ing！'　'Rise；'　answered　she；　'and　mount　this　steed　and　speak　not。'　So　he　rose　and　mounted　one　of　the　horses；　whilst　she　bestrode　the　other；　and　they　went　forth　the　city　and　rode　on　awhile　in　silence。　Then　said　she　to　him；　'Did　I　not　bid　thee　beware　of　sleeping？　Verily；　he　prospers　not　who　sleeps。'　'O　my　lady；'　answered　he；　'I　slept　not　but　because　of　the　solacement　of　my　heart　by　reason　of　thy　promise。　But　what　hath　happened；　O　my　lady？'　So　she　told　him　her　adventure　with　the　black；　and　he　said；　'Praised　be　God　for　safety！'

Then　they　fared　on　at　full　speed；　mitting　their　affair　to　the　Subtle；　the　Allwise　and　conversing　as　they　went；　till　they　came　to　the　place　where　the　black　lay　prostrate　in　the　dusty　as　he　were　an　Afrit；　and　Meryem　said　to　Noureddin；　'Dismount；　strip　him　of　his　clothes　and　take　his　arms。'　'By　Allah；　O　my　lady；'　answered　he；　'I　dare　not　dismount　nor　approach　him。'　And　indeed　he　marvelled　at　the　black's　stature　and　at　the　valour　and　stoutheartedness　of　the　princess　and　praised　her　for　her　deed。　They　fared　on　loftily　all　that　night　and　halted　not　till　the　day　broke　and　the　sun　shone　out　upon　the　hills　and　plains；　when　they　came　to　a　wide　champaign；　abounding　in　herbs　and　fruits　of　all　kinds。　Therein　were　gazelles　frisking　and　birds　singing　lustily　on　the　branches：　its　slopes　for　flowers　were　like　serpents'　bellies　and　many　and　various　were　its　channels　of　running　water。　And　indeed　it　was　as　saith　the　poet　and　saith　well　and　acplisheth　desire：

　　As　'twere　a　sunscorched　tract；　a　valley　ruddy　red；　With　twice　the　mon　tale　of　herbs　and　flowers　o'erspread。
　　We　halted　midst　its　groves；　and　it　above　us　bent；　As　o'er　a　weanling　child　the　nurses　bend　the　head；
　　And　limpid　water　sweet；　more　pleasant　than　old　wine　To　boonpanion　is；　to　quench　our　thirst　it　shed。
　　It　still　shut　out　the　sun；　from　whatsoever　side　It　smote　us；　but　let　in　the　breeze　to　cool　our　bed。
　　Its　pebbles　fragrant　were　as　maids　with　trinkets　decked　And　seemed　unto　the　touch　like　heaps　of　pearl　athread。　
And　as　saith　another：

　　When　its　birds　sing　in　the　dawn　o'er　its　limpid　lake；　El　Welhan　longs　for　its　sight　ere　morning　break；
　　For　as　at　were　Paradise　'tis　with　its　fragrant　gales　And　its　fruit　and　its　streams　that　run　through　its　shady　brake。　
Here　the　two　lovers　alighted　to　rest　and　turning　the　horses　loose　to　pasture　in　the　valley；　ate　of　its　fruits　and　drank　of　its　streams；　after　which　they　sat　talking　and　recalling　all　that　had　befallen　them　and　plaining　one　to　the　other　of　the　anguish　of　separation　and　of　that　which　they　had　suffered　for　estrangement　and　lovelonging。　As　they　were　thus　engaged；　there　arose　in　the　distance　a　cloud　of　dust；　which　spread　till　it　walled　the　world；　and　they　heard　the　neighing　of　horses　and　clank　of　arms。

Now　the　reason　of　this　was；　that　the　king　had　gone　forth　at　daybreak；　to　give　the　vizier　and　his　daughter　good　morrow；　after　the　custom　of　kings　with　their　daughter　＇on　the　morrow　of　their　weddingnight；＇　taking　with　him　silken　stuffs　＇as　a　present＇　and　scattering　gold　and　silver　among　the　eunuchs　and　tirewomen；　that　they　might　scramble　for　it：　but　when　he　came　to　the　new　palace；　he　and　one　of　his　pages；　he　found　the　vizier　prostrate　on　the　carpet；　knowing　not　his　head　from　his　feet；　and　searched　the　palace　right　and　left　for　his　daughter；　but　found　her　not；　whereat　he　was　sore　troubled　and　concerned　and　his　wit　forsook　him。

Then　he　called　for　hot　water　and　frankincense　and　virgin　vinegar　and　mingling　them　together；　blew　the　mixture　into　the　vizier's　nostrils　and　shook　him；　whereupon　he　cast　the　henbane　forth　of　his　stomach；　as　it　were　a　piece　of　cheese。　He　repeated　the　injection；　whereupon　the　vizier　came　to　himself　and　the　king　questioned　him　of　his　case　and　that　of　his　daughter。　'O　mighty　king；'　answered　the　vizier；　'I　have　no　knowledge　of　her　save　that　she　poured　me　out　a　cup　of　wine　with　her　own　hand；　and　from　that　moment　to　this　I　have　no　recollection　of　aught　nor　know　I　what　is　e　of　her。'　When　the　king　heard　this；　the　light　in　his　eyes　became　darkness；　and　he　drew　his　sword　and　smote　the　vizier　on　the　head；　that　the　steel　came　out　gleaming　from　between　his　teeth。　Then　he　called　the　grooms　and　stablemen　and　demanded　the　two　horses　of　them；　but　they　said；　'O　king；　when　we　awoke　in　the　morning；　we　found　all　the　doors　open　and　the　two　chargers　missing；　and　our　chief；　the　master　of　the　horse；　is　also　missing。'　Quoth　the　king；　'By　my　faith　and　all　wherein　my　belief　is　stablished；　none　but　my　daughter　hath　taken　the　horses；　she　and　the　Muslim　captive　that　used　to　tend　the　church　and　who　took　her　aforetime！　Indeed　I　knew　him　right　well