一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第36章

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　to　them；　'How　came　ye　to　take　this　madman　on　board？'　So　they　said　to　each　other；　'When　we　e　to　the　next　village；　we　will　put　him　ashore　and　rid　us　of　him。'　When　I　heard　this；　I　was　sore　troubled　and　summoned　up　all　my　courage；　saying　to　myself；　'Nothing　will　serve　me　to　deliver　myself　from　their　hands；　except　I　make　shift　to　acquaint　her　with　my　presence　in　the　ship；　so　she　may　prevent　my　putting　out。'

Then　we　sailed　on　till　eventide；　when　we　came　to　a　hamlet　（133）　and　the　captain　said；　'e；　let　us　go　ashore。'　So　they　all　landed；　＇leaving　me　in　the　ship＇　：　whereupon　I　rose　and　going　behind　the　curtain　took　the　lute　and　changed　its　accord；　course　（134）　by　course；　and　tuning　it　after　a　fashion　of　my　own；　（135）　that　she　had　learnt　of　me；　returned　to　my　place　in　the　ship。　Presently；　they　came　on　board　again　and　the　moon　shone　out　upon　the　river　and　bank。　Then　said　the　Hashimi　to　the　damsel；　'God　upon　thee；　trouble　not　our　lives！'　So　she　took　the　lute；　and　touching　it　with　her　hand；　gave　a　sob；　that　they　thought　her　soul　had　departed　＇her　body＇　；　and　said；　'By　Allah；　my　master　is　with　us　in　the　ship！'　'By　Allah；'　answered　the　Hashimi；　'were　this　so；　I　would　not　forbid　him　our　pany！　Haply　he　would　lighten　thy　chagrin；　so　we　might　enjoy　thy　singing：　but　it　cannot　be　that　he　is　on　board。'　But　she　said；　'I　cannot　sing　nor　play　whilst　my　lord　is　i；　'Let　us　ask　the　sailors。'　And　she　said；　'Do　so。'　So　he　questioned　them；　saying；　'Have　ye　carried　any　one　with　you？'　And　they　said；　'No。'

Then　I　feared　lest　the　enquiry　should　end　there；　so　I　laughed　and　said；　'Yes；　I　am　her　master　and　taught　her；　when　I　was　her　lord。'　'By　Allah；'　said　she；　'that　is　my　lord's　voice！'　So　the　servants　carried　me　to　the　Hashimi；　who　knew　me　at　once　and　said　to　me；　'Out　on　thee！　What　plight　is　this　in　which　I　see　thee　and　what　has　brought　thee　to　this　pass？'　So　I　told　him　all　that　had　befallen　of　my　affair；　weeping　the　while；　and　the　damsel　wailed　aloud　from　behind　the　curtain。　The　Hashimi　wept　sore；　he　and　his　brethren；　for　pity　of　me；　and　he　said；　'By　Allah；　I　have　not　drawn　near　the　damsel　nor　lain　with　her；　nor　have　I　even　heard　her　sing　till　this　day！　I　am　a　man　to　whom　God　hath　been　bountiful　and　I　came　to　Baghdad　but　to　hear　singing　and　seek　my　allowances　of　the　mander　of　the　Faithful。　I　acplished　both　my　occasions　and　being　about　to　return　home；　said　to　myself；　〃Let　us　hear　somewhat　of　the　singing　of　Baghdad。〃　Wherefore　I　bought　this　damsel；　knowing　not　how　it　was　with　you　both；　and　I　take　God　to　witness　that；　when　I　reach　Bassora；　I　will　free　her　and　marry　her　to　thee　and　assign　you　what　shall　suffice　you；　and　more：　but　on　condition　that；　whenever　I　have　a　mind　to　hear　music；　a　curtain　shall　be　hung　for　her　and　she　shall　sing　to　me　from　behind　it；　and　thou　shalt　be　of　the　number　of　my　brethren　and　boonpanions。'

At　this　I　rejoiced　and　he　put　his　head　within　the　curtain　and　said　to　her；　'Will　that　content　thee？'　Whereupon　she　fell　to　blessing　and　thanking　him。　Then　he　called　a　servant　and　said　to　him；　'Take　this　young　man　and　do　off　his　clothes　and　clothe　him　in　costly　raiment　and　incense　him　（136）　and　bring　him　back　to　us。'　So　the　servant　did　with　me　as　his　master　bade　him　and　brought　me　back　to　him；　and　he　set　wine　before　me；　even　as　before　the　rest　of　the　pany。　Then　the　damsel　fell　to　singing　after　the　goodliest　fashion　and　chanted　these　verses：

　　They　rail　at　me　because；　upon　the　parting　day；　I　wept；　when　my　belov'd　farewell　to　me　did　say。
　　They　never　knew　the　taste　of　severance　nor　felt　The　fire　that　in　my　breast　for　sorrow　rageth　aye。
　　Only　th'　afflicted　one　of　passion　knoweth；　he　Whose　heart　amongst　these　steads　is　lost　and　gone　astray。　
The　folk　rejoiced　in　her　song　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　my　gladness　redoubled；　so　that　I　took　the　lute　from　her　and　preluding　after　the　most　melodious　fashion；　sang　the　following　verses：

　　Ask　favours；　if　thou　needs　must　ask；　Of　generous　men；　Who　affluence　all　their　lives　have　known　and　happy　fate。
　　O'　the　generous　to　ask　brings　honour；　but　upon　The　asking　from　a　churl　blame　and　dishonour　wait。
　　When　thou　must　needs　abase　thyself；　if　thou　must　ask；　I　rede　thee　still　abase　thyself　unto　the　great　（137）　
　　The　generous　to　exalt　no　true　abasement　is　；　To　magnify　the　mean　doth　men　humiliate。　
The　pany　rejoiced　in　me　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　they　ceased　not　from　pleasure　and　delight；　whilst　anon　I　sang　and　anon　the　damsel；　till　we　came　to　one　of　the　landingplaces；　where　the　vessel　moored　and　all　on　board　went　ashore　and　I　with　them。　Now　I　was　drunken　ake　water；　but　drowsiness　overcame　me　and　I　slept；　and　the　folk　returned　to　the　ship；　without　missing　me；　for　that　they　also　were　drunken；　and　continued　their　voyage　till　they　reached　Bassora。　As　for　me；　I　slept　on　till　the　heat　of　the　sun　aroused　me；　when　I　arose　and　looked　about　me；　but　saw　no　one。　Now　I　had　given　my　spendingmoney　to　the　damsel　and　had　not　a　rap　left。　Moreover；　I　had　fotten　to　ask　the　Hashimi　his　name　and　titles　and　where　his　house　was　at　Bassora；　so　I　was　confounded　and　it　was　as　if　my　joy　at　meeting　the　damsel　had　been　but　a　dream；　and　I　abode　in　perplexity　till　there　came　up　a　great　vessel；　in　which　I　embarked　and　she　carried　me　to　Bassora。

Now　I　had　never　entered　the　place　and　knew　none　there；　so　I　accosted　a　grocer　and　taking　of　him　inkhorn　and　paper；　sat　down　to　write。　He　admired　my　handwriting　and　seeing　my　dress　soiled；　questioned　me　of　my　case；　to　which　I　replied　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　poor。　Quoth　he；　'Wilt　thou　abide　with　me　and　order　the　accounts　of　my　shop　and　I　will　give　thee　thy　food　and　clothing　and　half　a　dirhem　a　day？'　'It　is　well；'　answered　I　and　abode　with　him　and　kept　his　accounts　and　ordered　his　inings　and　outgoings　for　a　month；　at　the　end　of　which　time　he　found　his　receipts　increased　and　his　expenses　lessened；　wherefore　he　thanked　me　and　made　my　wage　a　dirhem　a　day。　When　the　year　was　out；　he　proposed　to　me　to　marry　his　daughter　and　bee　his　partner　in　the　shop。　I　agreed　to　this　and　went　in　to　my　wife　and　applied　me　to　the　shop。　But　I　was　broken　in　heart　and　spirit；　and　grief　was　apparent　upon　me；　and　the　grocer　used　to　drink　and　invite　me　thereto；　but　I　refused　for　melancholy。

On　this　wise　I　abode　two　years；　till；　one　day；　as　I　sat　in　the　shop；　there　passed　by　a　pany　of　people　with　meat　and　drink；　and　I　asked　the　grocer　what　was　to　do。　Quoth　he；　'This　is　the　day　of　the　pleasuremakers；　when　all　the　musicians　and　dancers　of　the　town　go　forth　with　the　young　men　of　fortune　to　the　banks　of　the　Ubulleh　river　（138）　and　eat　and　drink　among　the　trees　there。　My　heart　prompted　me　to　divert　myself　with　the　sight　of　this　thing　and　I　said　in　myself；　'Belike；　I　may　foregather　with　her　I　love　among　these　people。'　So　I　told　the　grocer　that　I　had　a　mind　to　this　and　he　said；　'Up　and　go　with　them。'　And　he　made　me　ready　meat　and　drink　and　I　went　till　I　came　to　the　Ubulleh　river；　when；　behold；　the　folk　were　going　away。

I　was　about　to　follow；　when　I　espied　the　very　bark　in　which　the　Hashimi　had　been　with　the　damsel　going　along　the　river　and　the　captain　in　her。　So　I　cried　out　to　him　and　he　and　his　pany　knew　me　and　took　me　on　board　with　them　and　said　to　me；　'Art　thou　yet　alive？'　And　they　embraced　me　and　questioned　me　of　my　case。　So　I　told　them　my　story　and　they　said；　'Indeed；　we　thought　that　drunkenness　had　gotten　the　mastery　of　thee　and　that　thou　＇hadst　fallen　into　the　water　and＇　wast　drowned。'　Then　I　asked　them　of　the　damsel；　and　they　answered；　'When　she　came　to　know　of　thy　loss；　she　rent　her　clothes　and　burnt　the　lute　and　fell　to　buffeting　herself　and　lamenting；　till　we　reached　Bassora；　when　we　said　to　her；　'Leave　this　weeping　and　sorrowing。'　Quoth　she；　'I　will　don　black　and　make　me　a　tomb　beside　the　house　and　abide　thereby　and　repent　from　singing。'　So　we　suffered　her　to　do　this　and　on　this　wise　she　abideth　to　this　day。'

Then　they　carried　me　to　the　Hashimi's　house；　where　I　saw　the　damsel　as　they　had　said。　When　she　saw　me；　she　gave　a　great　cry；　methought　she　had　died；　and　I　embraced　her　with　a　long　embrace。　Then　said　the　Hashimi　to　me；　'Take　her。'　And　I　answered；　'It　is　well　but　do　thou　free　her　and　marry　her　to　me；　according　to　thy　promise。'　So　he　did　this　and　gave　us　costly　goods　and　store　of　raiment　and　furniture　and　five　hundred　dinars；　saying；　'This　is　the　amount　of　that　which　I　purpose　to　allow　you　monthly；　but　on　condition　that　thou　be　my　boonpanion　and　that　I　hear　the　girl　sing　＇when　I　will＇　。'　Moreover；　he　assigned　us　a　house　and　bade　transport　thither　all　that　we　needed；　so；　when　I　went　to　the　house；　I　found　it　full　of　furniture　and　stuffs　and　carried　the　damsel　thither。　Then　I　betook　me　to　the　grocer　and　told　him　all　that　had　befallen　me；　begging　him　to　hold　me　excused　for　putting　away　his　daughter；　without　offence　on　her　part；　and　I　paid　her　her　dowry　（139）　and　what　else　behoved　me。　（140）　I　abode　with　the　Hashimi　on　this　wise　two　years　and　became　a　man　of　great　wealth　and　was　restored　wellnigh　to　the　former　estate　of　prosperity　wherein　I　had　been　at　Baghdad；　I　and　the　damsel。　And　indeed　God　the　Bountiful　put　an　end　to　our　troubles　and　vouchsafed　us　abundant　good　fortune　and　caused　our　patience　to　issue　in　the　attainment　of　our　desire：　wherefore　to　Him　be　the　praise　in　this　world　and　the　next。



KING　JELYAAD　OF　HIN