The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (68 page)

Fate pierced me with a deadly dart

And left me of my love bereft,

Sick and impatient with my lot,

The sorry lot I did expect.

“When Ali ibn-Bakkar heard the singer's words, he swooned down and remained unconscious until I despaired of him. But at daybreak he came to himself.” Then he asked to go home, and Abu al-Hasan al-'Attar did not try to prevent him, for fear of the consequences. The servants brought the young man's she-mule, and he rode home, accompanied by Abu al-Hasan, who related later, “When I saw him safe at home, I thanked the Almighty God. Glorious be His Name.” Abu al-Hasan stayed with him for a while and tried to comfort him, but when he saw that the young man could not control himself but remained distracted and unresponsive, he rose to take his leave.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if the king spares me and lets me live! It will be even stranger than this.”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that when Abu al-Hasan rose to take his leave, Ali ibn-Bakkar said to him, “Brother, perhaps you will get some news from my beloved, for I saw how she was, and we must find out what happened to her afterward.” Abu al-Hasan replied, “Her maid is bound to come and tell us about her.” Then he left Ali ibn-Bakkar and went to his shop, and there he waited for the maid, but she did not come. He spent the night in his own house, and the next morning, after he performed his ablutions and prayers, he went to Ali ibn-Bakkar's house. When he went in, he found him lying in bed, surrounded by all sorts of people and by physicians, each of whom was examining him and prescribing something or other. Abu al-Hasan related later: “When he saw me, he hearkened to me with a glad look and a faint smile. After I made the proper salutation, I told him how much I had missed him, inquired about his health and how he had passed the night, and sat with him until everyone left. Then I turned to him and asked, ‘Why this congregation?' He replied, ‘The servants spread the word that I was sick, and the people came to see me and, being weak, I lay in bed and was powerless to turn them back. But have you seen the maid?' I replied, ‘No, I have not seen her, but she will come today.'” Ali ibn-Bakkar wept bitterly until Abu al-Hasan finally said to him, “Stop weeping, conceal your secret from everyone, and avoid scandal.” But he continued to weep and recited the following verses:

I hid my love, but it grew stronger still

And made me weak, revealing what I hid.

And when I saw my tears betray my love

I wept without shame and myself outdid,

The more revealing what my eyes concealed,

Except that more by far lay within sealed.

Then he added, “Life has dealt me a blow I did not need, and now there is nothing easier for me than death, for it will bring me relief from my suffering and release me from my affliction.” Abu al-Hasan replied, “May God protect you and grant you a remedy. You are not the first one to undergo such an ordeal or the only one to suffer such a wrong.” He conversed with him for a while, then went to the market and opened his shop.

Hardly had he sat down when up came the maid. Abu al-Hasan related later, “She greeted me, looking withered and dejected. I said to her, ‘You are very welcome. I have been worried about you and waiting for news from you; how is your lady? As for us, here is what happened to us.'” And he told her all that had passed. She marveled and, sighing, said, “My lady fared much worse. When you left, I kept worrying about you, hardly believing that you had escaped. When I went back, I found my mistress lying prostrate in the alcove, unable to speak or to respond, while the Commander of the Faithful sat by her head, not knowing what ailed her and finding none who could explain. She remained in this condition, surrounded by her maids, some of whom rejoiced and some of whom wept for her. When she came to herself, al-Rashid asked her, ‘O Shams al-Nahar, what ails you?' When she heard his words, she kissed his feet and said to him, ‘May God make me your ransom, O Commander of the Faithful. I had an attack of the bile, which set my body on fire and made me faint.' The caliph asked, ‘What have you eaten today?' She replied by inventing something and, pretending to have recovered, called for wine, drank it, and begged the Commander of the Faithful to resume his merrymaking. The caliph returned to his place and bade her sit with him and be at ease, and she did as he bade. Then I went up to her, and when she asked me about the two of you, I told her what had happened to you, and when I repeated the verses that Ali ibn-Bakkar had recited, she wept. Then a girl, called the Lover's Eyes, sang the following verses:

Life has forsooth not been sweet after you;

I wonder how you have fared after me!

If my loss you don't mourn with bitter tears,

Over your cruel loss my tears should blood be.

“When Shams al-Nahar heard the song, she swooned again, and I tried to revive her.”

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive!”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the maid said to Abu al-Hasan, “I tried to revive her, rubbing her feet and spinkling her with rosewater. When she came to herself, I said to her, ‘Tonight you are going to bring ruin on yourself and on all your household. By the life of your beloved, steel yourself and be patient, even though you are going through hell.' She replied, ‘Can anything happen to me worse than death, which will deliver me from my torment?' While we conversed, another girl, called Dawn of the Forlorn, began to sing the following verses:

‘Patience,' they said, ‘may consolation bring.'

‘Without him,' I replied, ‘how can I patience find?

For at our last embrace we pledged to cut

The cords of patience with the oaths that bind.'

“When Shams al-Nahar heard the song, she swooned again, and the Commander of the Faithful noticed her and rushed to her, and when he looked at her, she seemed almost dead. He bade the wine be removed and each girl return to her chamber, while he spent the rest of the night with Shams al-Nahar, who remained unconscious.

“When she awoke in the morning, the Commander of the Faithful, not knowing what ailed her and unaware of her passion, summoned the physicians and ordered them to treat her. He stayed with her until he thought that she was beginning to feel better. Then he left a group of his concubines and maids with her and returned to his quarters, still concerned about her health. As soon as it was morning, she bade me go to you and bring her news of my lord Ali ibn-Bakkar.”

When Abu al-Hasan heard what the maid said, he replied, “I have already told you what happened to Ali ibn-Bakkar and how he feels. Convey my greetings to Shams al-Nahar; do all you can to counsel her; and spare no effort to keep her secret hidden. I myself will acquaint the young man with what you have told me about her.” The girl thanked Abu al-Hasan, took her leave, and departed.

Abu al-Hasan related later: “I spent the rest of the day buying and selling. Then I went to Ali ibn-Bakkar, and when I entered, I found him in the same condition in which I had left him. He welcomed me and, looking dismayed, said, ‘My lord, I did not dispatch anyone to reassure you, knowing the burden that I have placed on you and for which I shall be beholden to you to the end of my days.' I replied, ‘Leave this talk. Could I ransom you with my life, I would give my life for you, and could I protect you with my eyes, I would give my eyes for you. Today Shams al-Nahar's maid came to see me.'” Then Abu al-Hasan repeated to him what the maid had told him. But the young man's torment grew worse, and he fretted, lamented, and wept, wondering what to do in the face of this great misfortune. Then he asked Abu al-Hasan to spend the night with him, and Abu al-Hasan did so, but he slept very little.

As soon as it was dawn, Abu al-Hasan left the young man and went to his shop, where he found the maid already waiting for him. When he saw her, he did not open the shop but went directly to her. She made a sign of salutation to him, conveyed her lady's greetings, and asked, “How is my lord Ali ibn-Bakkar?” He replied, “He is the same. How is your lady?” She said, “She is worse. She wrote him a letter and, giving it to me, said, ‘Bring an answer and do whatever Abu al-Hasan bids you.'” Abu al-Rasan related later, “I took her with me and, returning to the young man's house, went in to see him.”

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive!”

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I heard, O happy King, that when Shams al-Nahar's maid came to Abu al-Hasan al-'Attar, he took her with him and returned to the house of Ali ibn-Bakkar and, leaving her standing at the door, went in to see him. When the young man saw him, he inquired, “What is the news?” Abu al-Hasan, giving him a wink, replied, “All is well. A friend of yours has sent his maid with a letter expressing his longing for you and explaining the reason for his delay, as you will see for yourself. Will you give her permission to come in to see you?” Ali ibn-Bakkar replied, “Very well.” Then one of his servants went out and brought her in. As soon as Ali ibn-Bakkar saw her, he recognized her and rejoiced and, moving toward her, gave her a wink and asked, “How is your master? May God grant him health and recovery.” She took out the letter and gave it to him, and he took it and, kissing it, read it, then gave it to Abu al-Hasan, with a trembling hand.

Abu al-Hasan related later, “When I looked at the letter, I found the following:

In the name of the Almighty God:

Answer the one who brings you news of me

And let his words suffice you for my sight.

You left me with a heart mad with desire

And eyes that sleepless stay throughout the night.

I bear with patience my unhappy lot,

For who can avoid the cruel blows of fate?

Be glad: you will be always in my heart

And you will always my thoughts dominate.

Look at your body wasting with desire

And you will know how mine burns with love's fire.

O my lord, were it not for my desire to acquaint you with my suffering for your sake, with the torments of your absence and my longing for you, I would have wisely refrained from speaking with my tongue or writing with my hand to lay open my heart and reveal the anguish of my body and soul, for an eyewitness's account needs no further explanation. In a word, I sit with sleepless eyes and anxious thoughts, with restless heart and confused mind, aware of nothing but my stricken body and my aching, lacerated soul. I feel as if I have never been well or free from distress, as if I have never seen a single lovely sight or lived a single happy day. O would that I were dead or forgotten, or would that I complained only to one who shares my plight or wept only before one who shares my tears, saying: