The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (74 page)

Have his eyes grown accustomed to their tears

Or has his sorrow his patience undone?

He used to keep his secrets to himself,

But his sore eyes have broadcast everyone,

For every time he tries to check his tears,

The world checks him and with love interferes.

I said to him, ‘I would like to go to the house. It may be that the maid will bring some news.' He said, ‘Very well, but please come back quickly, for you see in what condition I am.'

“I went to the house, and hardly had I sat down, when the maid came, trembling and crying and looking disconcerted, frightened, and dazed. I asked her, ‘What is the matter with you?' She replied, ‘What we feared has fallen on us suddenly. When I left you yesterday and returned to my lady, I found her bidding one of the maids who were with us the other night be beaten. The girl ran away, escaping through a door that happened to be open, but one of the gatekeepers, appointed to guard the concubines in our quarters, stopped her, gave her shelter, and treated her kindly. Then he availed himself of the opportunity and questioned her, and she let drop some hints about what we did the first and second nights. He took her at once to the Commander of the Faithful, who interrogated her until she confessed. Yesterday the caliph ordered that my lady be removed to his own quarters and set over her twenty eunuchs to guard her, and since then he has not visited her or let her know the reason for her removal. At last, as one thing led to another, I succeeded in finding a way to come out. But I do not know what to do or how to help her or help myself, for she has none trustier than me or worthier of her trust.'”

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!”

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I heard, O happy King, that the jeweler said: “The maid said to me, ‘Go to Ali ibn-Bakkar and warn him to be on guard until we find a way out of this situation or, if we fail, at least to escape with his own life and possessions.' This news was such a blow to me that I could not find the strength to stand up. But after she left, I hurried to Ali ibn-Bakkar and said to him, ‘Gird yourself, summon your courage, gather your wits; then compose yourself and shake off your languor, prostration, and debility, for there has been a grave development that could cause the destruction of your life and your property.' He was alarmed and his color changed and he said to me, ‘O my friend, you have worried me terribly. Tell me everything plainly.' I said to him, ‘Such and such things have happened, and you are surely lost.' He sat dazed for a while, looking as if his soul had left his body; then he recovered and asked, ‘What shall I do?' I replied, ‘Take of your possessions what is valuable and of your servants those you trust, and I will do the same and head with you to al-Anbar before the end of the day.' He jumped like a madman and, now walking, now stumbling, prepared himself as well as he could, made his excuse to his family, and, giving them his instructions, left the house.

“We set out for al-Anbar and journeyed the rest of the day and most of the night till dose to daybreak, when we unloaded and, tying the legs of our camels, lay down to sleep, forgetting to keep watch. Suddenly we were attacked by robbers, who took our camels, our possessions, and all the money hidden in our belts, killed all our servants and, stripping us naked, made off with everything, leaving us in the worst of plights. Then Ali ibn-Bakkar asked me, ‘Which is better, this or death?' I replied, ‘What can we do? It is God's will and decree.' We walked on till morning, when we came to a mosque and took refuge there, two destitute strangers who knew no one. We sat in a corner all that day and night, without hearing anything or seeing anyone, man or woman. But when it was morning, a man suddenly came and after performing his prayers, turned to us and said . . .”

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!”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the jeweler said, “Suddenly a man came in and, after performing his prayers, turned to us and said, ‘Greetings, and may God preserve you. Are you strangers?' We replied, ‘Yes, we are. We have been robbed, and we know no one to go to.' He asked us, ‘Will you come home with me?' I turned to Ali ibn-Bakkar and said, ‘Let us go with him, for I am afraid that someone may enter the mosque and recognize us; besides, we are strangers here and have nowhere else to go.' He replied, ‘Do as you wish.' The man asked, ‘Well, what do you say?' Then he took off part of his clothes and covered us, saying, ‘Let us take advantage of this early hour and go now.'

“We went out with him, and when we reached his house, he knocked at the door, and a little servant came out and opened it. We entered after our host, who called for a parcel containing clothes and white cloth for turbans and gave them to us. We put on the clothes, made ourselves turbans, and sat down. Soon a maid brought in a tray of food and said, ‘Eat, with the blessing of die Almighty God.' We ate a little, and the girl took away the tray. We remained with our host till nightfall, when Ali ibn-Bakkar sighed deeply and said to me sadly, ‘You know that I am surely going to die. I have a charge to give you, namely, that when I die, you will go to my mother and ask her to come here to have me washed and prepared for burial. And tell her to bear my loss with patience.'”

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, “Ali ibn-Bakkar charged me and asked me to tell his mother to bear his loss with patience. Then he fell in a swoon and remained unconscious for a long time, and when he came to himself, he heard a girl singing the following verses:

Adversity has hastened our parting,

After our happy love and joyful life.

Such parting after joy is bitter pain;

Would that a lover were spared such a strife.

Death's agony but a short moment lasts,

But parting's pain stays always in the heart.

God has allowed all lovers to unite,

But has condemned me and kept us apart.

“When he heard these verses, he groaned and his soul left his body. Then I wrapped him in a shroud and committed his body to the care of our host.

“Two days later I journeyed, in the company of some people; then I reached Baghdad and entered my house. Then I went to Ali ibn-Bakkar's house, and when his servants saw me, they came up to me and greeted me. I bade them ask leave of his mother for me to see her, and she gave me leave, and I went in and greeted her. After I sat for a while, I said to her, ‘May God bless you and be kind to you. The Almighty God orders the life of man according to His command, and none can escape His will and decree.' When she heard my words, she wept bitterly and said, ‘For God's sake, tell me: is my son dead?' But I could not reply, for I was choking with sobs and tears. Her grief was so great that she fell down in a swoon, and the maids rushed in, without veils, and propped her up. When she came to herself, she asked me, ‘What happened to my son?' I replied, ‘Such and such things happened to him, and I am very sorry for him, for, by God, he was my best and dearest friend.' When I finished telling her everything, she said, ‘He should have confided his secret to me. Did he give you any charge?' I replied, ‘Yes, he did,' and, giving her his instructions, left her wailing and crying with her maids.

“I went out, dazed with grief and blinded with tears, thinking of his youth and recalling the days when I used to visit him, and as I was walking and crying, a woman suddenly grabbed my hand. I looked at her and recognized Shams al-Nahar's maid, dressed in black and looking grief-stricken. When I saw her in this condition, I wept and sobbed more bitterly and made her weep with me. We walked on until we came to my other house, and when we were inside, I asked her, ‘Have you heard the news of Ali ibn-Bakkar?' She replied, ‘No, by God,' and I told her, and we both wept again. Then I asked her, ‘What further affliction caused your lady's death?' She replied, ‘The Commander of the Faithful, as I told you, had her removed to his own quarters, but, thinking the accusations absurd, he did not confront her with them because of his love and compassion for her. Indeed, he told her that she was the finest, the most virtuous, the most innocent of her enemies' accusations, and the dearest of all the people to him. Then he ordered for her a beautiful room decorated with gold, and this filled her with alarm and fright.

“‘One evening, as he sat to drink and carouse as usual, he summoned his concubines, bidding them be seated in their places, and made Shams al-Nahar sit by his side, in order to show them her status among them and her place in his heart. She sat there, absent-mindedly, feeling weak and numb, and her words betrayed her apprehension and fear of what the caliph would do. Then one of the girls sang the following verses:

Sad love called for my tears, and they replied,

And o'er my burning cheeks they fell and flowed

Until my eyes, grown weary of the charge,

Hid what I wished to show and what lay hidden showed.

How can I hope my passion to conceal,

When my love's torment everyone can see?

After my darling, death is to me sweet;

I wonder how he would fare after me!

“‘When Shams al-Nahar heard these verses, she lost control, burst into tears, and fell down in a swoon. The caliph threw the cup from his hand and drew her to him, but she was already dead. He cried out, and the girls joined him with their cries, and he bade all the vessels and all the musical instruments in the place be broken, and they were broken. Then he hurried out, having bidden her be carried to his private chamber, where he stayed with her the rest of the night. When it was morning, he bade her be washed, wrapped in a shroud, and buried. But he never inquired about her case.' Then the maid said to me, ‘I beg you, in God's name, to let me know the day of the arrival of Ali ibn-Bakkar's body and his burial.' I asked her, ‘Where can I find you?' She replied, ‘The Commander of the Faithful freed all her women, including myself, and I am now staying at her tomb in such and such a place.' Then I went out with her to the cemetery, visited the tomb, and departed.