一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第55章

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　knowest　thou　that　the　King　of　Farther　India　hath　written　him　a　letter；　berating　him　and　bespeaking　him　with　the　grievous　speech　whereof　thou　tellest？'　'O　brother；'　answered　the　boy；　'I　know　this　from　the　sand　（184）　wherewith　I　tell　the　tale　of　night　and　day　and　from　the　saying　of　the　ancients；　〃No　mystery　is　hidden　from　God；〃　for　the　sons　of　Adam　have　in　them　a　spiritual　virtue　which　discovers　to　them　hidden　secrets。'　'True；　O　my　son；'　answered　Wird　Khan；　'but　whence　learnedly　thou　the　＇art　of　divination　by＇　sand；　and　thou　young　of　years？'　Quoth　the　boy；　'My　father　taught　it　me；'　and　the　king　said；　'Is　thy　father　alive　or　dead？'　'He　is　dead；'　answered　the　boy。

Then　said　Wird　Khan；　'Is　there　any　resource　or　device　for　our　king；　whereby　he　may　ward　off　this　sore　calamity　from　himself　and　his　kingdom？'　And　the　boy　answered；　'It　befits　not　that　I　speak　with　thee　＇of　this＇；　but；　if　the　king　send　for　me　and　ask　me　how　he　shall　do　to　baffle　his　enemy　and　win　free　of　his　snares；　I　　with　that　wherein；　by　the　power　of　God　the　Most　High；　shall　be　his　deliverance。'　'But　who　shall　tell　the　king　of　this；'　asked　Wird　Khan；　'that　he　may　send　for　thee？'　Quoth　the　boy；　'If　I　hear　that　he　seeketh　men　of　experience　and　good　counsel；　I　will　go　up　with　them　to　him　and　tell　him　that　wherein　shall　be　his　welfare　and　the　warding　off　of　this　affliction　from　him；　but；　if　he　neglect　this　pressing　matter　and　busy　himself　with　his　pleasures　among　his　women　and　I　go　to　him　of　my　own　motion；　purposing　to　acquaint　him　with　the　means　of　deliverance；　he　will　assuredly　give　orders　to　slay　me；　even　as　he　slew　those　his　viziers；　and　my　courtesy　to　him　will　be　the　cause　of　my　destruction；　wherefore　the　folk　will　think　meanly　of　me　and　belittle　my　wit　and　I　shall　be　of　those　of　whom　it　is　said；　〃He　whose　learning　exceeds　his　wit　perishes　by　his　ignorance。〃'

When　the　king　heard　the　boy's　speech；　he　was　assured　of　his　sagacity　and　the　excellence　of　his　merit　was　manifest　unto　him。　So　he　was　certified　that　deliverance　would　betide　him　and　his　subjects　at　the　boy's　hands　and　said　to　him；　'Whence　art　thou　and　where　is　thy　house？'　'This　is　the　wall　of　our　house；'　answered　he。　The　king　took　note　of　the　place　and　leaving　the　boy；　returned　to　his　palace；　rejoicing。　There　he　changed　his　clothes　and　called　for　meat　and　drink；　forbidding　his　women　access　to　him。　Then　he　ate　and　drank　and　returned　thanks　to　God　the　Most　High　and　besought　Him　of　succour　and　deliverance。　Moreover　he　craved　His　pardon　and　fiveness　for　that　which　he　had　done　with　his　counsellors　of　state　and　ministers　and　turned　to　Him　with　sincere　repentance；　imposing　on　himself　prayer　and　fasting　galore；　by　way　of　votive　offering。

On　the　morrow；　he　called　one　of　his　chief　officers　and　describing　to　him　the　boy's　abidingplace；　bade　him　go　thither　and　bring　him　to　his　presence　with　all　gentleness　So　the　officer　sought　out　the　boy　and　said　to　him；　'The　king　bids　thee　to　him；　that　good　may　betide　thee　from　him　and　that　he　may　ask　thee　a　question；　then　shalt　thou　return　in　peace　to　thy　dwelling。'　'What　is　the　king's　occasion　with　me？'　asked　the　boy；　and　the　officer　said；　'My　lord's　occasion　with　thee　is　question　and　answer。'　'A　thousand　times　hearkening　and　a　thousand　times　obedience　to　the　mandment　of　the　king！'　answered　the　boy　and　acpanied　the　officer　to　the　palace。　When　he　came　into　the　presences　he　prostrated　himself　before　God　and　saluting　the　king；　called　down　blessings　on　him。　Wird　Khan　returned　his　salutation　and　bade　him　sit。　So　he　sat　down　and　the　king　said　to　him；　'Knowst　thou　who　walked　with　thee　yesternight？'　'Yes；'　answered　the　boy；　and　the　king　said；　'And　where　is　he？'　'It　is　he　who　speaketh　with　me　at　this　present；'　replied　the　boy。　'Thou　sayst　sooth；　O　friend；'　rejoined　the　king　and　bade　set　him　a　chair　beside　his　own；　whereon　he　made　him　sit　and　called　for　meat　and　drink。

Then　they　talked　awhile　and　the　king　said；　'O　vizier；　（185）　thou　toldest　me　yesternight　that　thou　hadst　a　device　wherewith　thou　couldst　fend　off　from　us　the　malice　of　the　King　of　Hind。　What　is　this　device　and　how　shall　we　contrive　to　ward　off　his　mischief　from　us？　Tell　me；　that　I　may　make　thee　chief　of　those　who　speak　with　me　in　the　realm　and　choose　thee　to　be　my　vizier　and　do　according　to　thy　judgment　in　all　thou　counsellest　me　and　assign　thee　a　splendid　repense。'　'O　king；'　answered　the　boy；　'keep　thy　repense　to　thyself　and　seek　counsel　and　policy　of　thy　women；　who　counselled　thee　to　slay　my　father　Shimas　and　the　rest　of　the　viziers。'　When　the　king　heard　this；　he　was　confounded　and　sighed　and　said；　'O　dear　boy；　was　Shimas　indeed　thy　father？'　'Yes；'　answered　the　boy；　'Shimas　was　indeed　my　father　and　I　am　in　truth　his　son。'　Whereupon　the　king　bowed　his　head；　whilst　the　tears　ran　from　his　eyes；　and　he　craved　pardon　of　God。

Then　said　he；　'O　boy；　indeed　I　did　this　of　my　ignorance　and　by　the　evil　counsel　of　the　women　and　of　the　greatness　of　their　malice；　but　I　beseech　thee　to　five　me　and　I　wilt　set　thee　in　thy　father's　stead　and　make　thy　rank　higher　than　his。　Moreover；　if　thou　do　away　this　retribution　from　us；　I　will　encircle　thy　neck　with　a　collar　of　gold　and　mount　thee　on　the　goodliest　of　steeds　and　bid　the　crier　make　proclamation　before　thee；　saying；　〃This　is　the　glorious　boy；　he　who　sitteth　in　the　second　seat　after　the　king！〃　As　for　the　women；　I　have　it　in　mind　to　do　vengeance　on　them　at　such　time　as　God　the　Most　High　shall　will　it。　But　tell　me　now　what　thou　hast　with　thee　of　counsel　and　contrivance；　that　my　heart　may　be　at　ease。'　Quoth　the　boy；　'Swear　to　me　that　thou　wilt　not　gainsay　me　in　that　which　I　shall　say　to　thee　and　that　I　shall　be　in　safety　from　that　which　I　fear。'　And　the　king　answered；　'This　is　the　covenant　of　God　between　thee　and　me；　that　I　will　not　go　from　thy　word　and　that　thou　shalt　be　my　chief　counsellor　and　whatsoever　thou　biddest　me；　that　will　I　do；　and　God　the　Most　High　is　witness　betwixt　us　of　what　I　say。'

Therewith　the　boy's　breast　dilated　and　the　field　of　speech　was　opened　to　him　wide　and　he　said；　'O　king；　my　counsel　to　thee　is　that　thou　wait　till　the　expiration　of　the　delay　appointed　by　thee　for　returning　an　answer　to　the　courier　of　the　King　of　Hind；　and　when　he　eth　to　thee；　seeking　the　answer；　do　thou　put　him　off　to　another　day。　With　this　he　will　excuse　himself　to　thee；　on　the　score　of　his　master　having　appointed　him　certain　fixed　days；　and　press　thee　for　an　answer；　but　do　thou　rebut　him　and　put　him　off　to　another　day；　without　specifying　it。　Then　will　he　go　forth　from　thee；　angry；　and　betake　himself　into　the　midst　of　the　city　and　speak　openly　among　the　folk；　saying；　〃O　people　of　the　city；　I　am　a　courier　of　the　King　of　Farther　India；　who　is　a　king　of　great　might　and　of　determination　such　as　softeh　iron。　He　sent　me　with　a　letter　to　the　king　of　this　city　and　limited　unto　me　certain　days；　saying；　'An　thou　be　not　with　me　by　the　time　appointed；　my　vengeance　shall　fall　on　thee。'　Now；　behold；　I　went　in　to　the　king　of　this　city　and　gave　him　the　letter；　which　when　he　had　read；　he　sought　of　me　a　delay　of　three　days；　after　which　he　should　return　me　an　answer　thereto；　and　I　agreed　to　this　of　courtesy　and　consideration　for　him。　When　the　three　days　were　past；　I　went　to　seek　the　answer　of　him；　but　he　put　me　off　to　another　day；　and　now　I　have　no　patience　to　wait　longer；　so　I　am　about　to　return　to　my　lord　the　King　of　Farther　India　and　acquaint　him　with　that　which　hath　befallen　me；　and　ye；　O　folk；　are　witnesses　between　me　and　him。〃

This　will　be　reported　to　thee　and　do　thou　send　for　him　and　bespeak　him　gently　and　say　to　him；　〃O　thou　that　strivest　for　thine　own　destruction；　what　moveth　thee　to　blame　us　among　our　subjects？　Verily；　thou　deservest　present　death　at　our　hands；　but　the　ancients　say；　'Clemency　is　of　the　attributes　of　the　noble。'　Know　that　our　delay　in　answering　thy　master's　letter　arose　not　from　neglect　on　our　part；　but　from　our　much　business　and　lack　of　leisure　to　look　into　thine　affair　and　write　a　reply　to　thy　king。〃　Then　call　for　the　letter　and　read　it　again　and　laugh　immoderately　and　say　to　the　courier；　〃Hast　thou　a　letter　other　than　this？　If　so；　we　will　write　thee　an　answer　to　that　also。〃　He　will　say；　〃I　have　none　other　than　this　letter；〃　but　do　thou　repeat　thy　question　to　him　a　second　and　a　third　time；　and　he　will　reply；　〃I　have　none　other　at　all。〃　Then　say　to　him；　〃Verily；　this　thy　king　lacketh　wit　in　that　he　writeth　us　the　like　of　this　letter；　seeking　to　arouse　our　anger　against　him；　so　that　we　shall　go　forth　to　him　with　our　troops　and　invade　his　dominions　and　take　his　realm。　But　we　will　not　punish　him　this　time　for　the　vileness　of　his　breeding；　＇as　shown＇　in　this　letter；　for　that　he　is　scant　of　wit　and　weak　of　judgment；　and　it　beseemeth　our　dignity　that　we　first　admonish　him　and　warn　him　not　to　repeat　the　like　of　these　extravagances；　and　if　he　again　adventure　himself　and　return　to　the　like　of　this；　he　will　merit　present　destruction。　Indeed；　methinks　this　king　of　thine　must　be　an　ignorant　fool；　taking　no　thought　to　the　issue　＇of　that　he　doth＇　and　having　no　vizier　of　sense　and　good　counsel；　with　whom　he　may　advise。　Were　he　a　man　of　sense；　he　had　taken　counsel　with　a　vizier；　before　sending　us　the　like　of　this　ridiculous　letter。　But　he　shall　have　an　answer　like　unto　his　letter　and　overpassing　it；　for　I　wi