The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (73 page)

“When I began to regain my strength, I went to the bath, still very much worried about the young man and the young lady. I did not dare to go near his house or visit any place, for fear of meeting him, for I had repented to God of my former conduct, given alms in gratitude for my safety, and reconciled myself to my loss.

“Then I thought of going to a certain place to visit some friends and divert myself, for my ordeal had taken a heavy toll on me. I went out, remonstrating with myself, until I came to the cloth market and sat there for a while with a friend of mine. When I rose to go, I saw a woman standing before me, and when I looked at her closely, I recognized Shams al-Nahar's maid. At that moment the world turned dark before my eyes, and I hurried away in a terrible fright, while she pursued me, saying, ‘My lord, stop and listen to what I have to say to you,' but whenever I wanted to stop and speak with her, I was seized with fear until I reached a mosque in an unfrequented spot and went in. She went in after me and, expressing sorrow for me, asked me about my condition. I told her all that had happened to myself and to Ali ibn-Bakkar, then said, ‘Tell me what happened to you personally and what happened to your lady after she left us.'

“She replied, ‘As for myself, when I saw the men, fearing that they were the caliph's officers who came to seize me and my mistress forthwith and take us to our ruin, I and the two maids fled over the rooftops from place to place until we took refuge with some people who took pity on us and helped us reach our place early in the morning, in the sorriest of plights. We concealed the situation, and I waited anxiously till nightfall, when I opened the rivergate and, calling the same boatman, said to him, “Damn it, go search the river and see if you can find a boat with a woman inside.” At midnight I saw a boat approaching the gate, with one man rowing, another standing up, and a woman lying in a corner. When the boat touched the jetty and the woman landed, I was surprised to see that it was my lady, and I rejoiced in her safety.'”

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 stranger and more amazing.”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the girl said to the jeweler, “When I saw her, I rejoiced in her safety and went to help her. She bade me give the man who had brought her a thousand dinars, and I thanked him and gave him the very purse that I had brought you and that you had refused to take. Then he departed and I returned and locked the gate. Then I and two maidservants carried Shams al-Nahar, who was almost dead from exhaustion, and laid her on her bed. She slept the rest of that night and the following day, while I forbade the maidservants from going in.

“At last she awoke, as if she had risen from the dead, and I sprinkled her face with rosewater scented with musk, washed her hands and feet, and changed her clothes. Then I made her drink some wine and after a great effort persuaded her to eat some food. As soon as she began to regain some energy, I remonstrated with her and said, ‘You have suffered enough, and you have been close to death.' She said, ‘Death would have been easier to me than what I have suffered. I was sure that I was going to be killed, and I gave myself up for lost. When the robbers took us from the jeweler's house, they asked me who I was, and I said that I was a singing girl; then they asked my beloved, and he replied that he was one of the common people. Then they took us to their place, and it was nothing but fear that gave us the strength to walk with them.

“‘But when we were with them in their place and they looked at me and at my jewelry, they did not believe me and said that no singing girl could have such jewelry and asked me to tell them the truth. When I refused, they turned to my beloved and, saying that his attire was not that of a common man, asked him who he really was. When he and I remained silent, they asked us to tell them who was the owner of the house. When we replied that he was so and so, one of them said that he knew him and knew where he lived, adding that with luck he would bring him back immediately. Then they agreed to set me in one room by myself and my beloved in another room by himself, and their chief asked us to rest there without fear until they found out who we were, assuring us that our lives and possessions would be safe.

“‘Then their comrade went out and brought that man (meaning you), and when he revealed to them who we were, they apologized and went out at once and, bringing a boat, put us in it and rowed us to the other side. There the captain of the night patrol fell upon us, and I motioned him aside and said to him that I was so and so and that I had had too much to drink and had gone to visit some ladyfriends of mine, when these men, with whom I met these two gentlemen, came by and brought us all here. Then I added that I had the wherewithal to reward him, and he dismounted and placed me on his horse and bade his men do the same with Ali ibn-Bakkar and the jeweler. At last I arrived, as you saw, without knowing what happened to Ali ibn-Bakkar or the jeweler. My heart is on fire for them, especially for the jeweler, who had lost his goods. Take some money and go to him and inquire about Ali ibn-Bakkar.' I chided her and warned her to be careful, saying, ‘Fear God, give up this intrigue, and instead console yourself with patience.' But she was angry at my words and yelled at me. So I left her and, going out to look for you, came to your house—I did not dare to go to Ali ibn-Bakkar. Now I stand here to serve you; please accept the money, for your need is evident, since you must compensate your friends for their loss.” The jeweler related later, “I rose and walked out with her until we came to a certain place and she said, ‘Wait here until I come back.'”

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

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the jeweler said: “The girl said, ‘Wait here until I come back.' Then she returned, carrying a heavy bag of money and, giving it to me, said, ‘Go, and may God protect you. Where shall we meet?' I replied, ‘Come to my house. In the meantime I will work hard to find Ali ibn-Bakkar and arrange for you to meet him.' All that money made my task seem very easy. She said, ‘I am afraid that you may not be able to find him and meet with him and that I too may not be able to find you.' I said, ‘Come to my other house. I will go there immediately, replace the doors, and secure the place, so that we may meet there safely. She took her leave, and I carried the money home and, counting it, found it two thousand dinars and felt happy. Then I gave part of it to my family and part to my creditors. Then I took my servants with me to the other house and summoned workmen, who restored the doors and windows and made them even better than before. Then I left two maids there to keep an eye on the house and two others to act as servants and, having forgotten my mishap and regained my confidence, went out and headed to Ali ibn-Bakkar's house.

“When I arrived, his servants met me, and one of them bade me welcome, kissed my hand, and took me in. When I entered, I saw Ali ibn-Bakkar lying in bed, unable to speak. I sat down at his side and held his hand. He opened his eyes and said, ‘Welcome!' and, forcing himself to sit up, added, ‘I thank God to see you again.' Then little by little I made him stand up and take a few steps. Then he changed his clothes and drank some wine. All this he did to please me. Then I talked to him about the situation, and when I saw that he was beginning to feel better, I said, ‘I know your aspiration. Be of good cheer, for nothing has recently happened in this regard but what will comfort you and please you.' He signaled to the servants, who withdrew; and he said, ‘Have you forgotten what happened to us?' But he apologized and asked me to tell him the news, and I told him all that had happened to me after I left him and all that had happened to Shams al-Nahar. He thanked the Almighty God and praised Him and said, ‘What a wonderful woman and what perfect generosity!'”

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said, “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!”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the jeweler said: “When I told Ali ibn-Bakkar about the money that Shams al-Nahar had given me, he said, ‘What a wonderful woman and what perfect generosity!' adding, ‘I will replace all the utensils and other goods you lost.' Then he turned to his steward and gave him an order, and the steward brought in carpets, drapes, and utensils of gold and silver, which exceeded what I had lost, and gave them all to me. I felt embarrassed, thanked him for his generosity, and added, ‘Making the two of you happy is dearer to me than all the goods you have given me. Out of my love for you I will even throw myself into peril for your sake.'

“I stayed with him the rest of that day and night, while he lay weak and wan and kept sighing and weeping. When the day began to break, he said to me, ‘You should know that there is an end to everything and the end of love is either death or enjoyment. I am nearer to death, which is easier and better than this. I wish that I had found fulfillment, relief, and rest, or that my sorrow had put an end to my miserable life. This was our second meeting, and if you help us to meet again, the same thing, as you know, will happen. How can I bear to go through this agony for the third time, particularly since I have no excuse before anyone, after such warning from Him to whom belongs the honor and the glory, the Benevolent God who has saved us from scandal? I am at a loss and I do not know how to find a way out of this predicament, and were it not that I fear God, I would hasten my death, knowing that both she and I are doomed to perish, although not before our appointed hour.' Then he wept bitterly and recited the following verses:

How can the sad do anything but weep?

I yearn to let you know my love, and mourn,

And wake all night, as if the night has said,

‘O stars, stay fixed and do not heed the morn.'

“I said to him, ‘O my lord, steel yourself, bear calmly both joy and sorrow alike, and be patient.' He looked at me and recited the following verses: