with the girl to the house of Ali son of Bakkar, where he left her
standing at the door and walked in to his great joy. And Abu al-Hasan
said to him, "The reason of my coming is that such an one hath sent his
handmaid to thee with a letter, containing his greeting to thee and
mentioning therein that the cause of his not coming to thee was a matter
that hath betided him. The girl standeth even now at the door: shall she
have leave to enter?"; and he signed to him that it was Shams al-Nahar's
slave-girl. Ali understood his signal and answered, "Bring her in," and
when he saw her, he shook for joy and signed to her, "How doth thy
lord?; Allah grant him health and healing!" "He is well," answered she
and pulling out the letter gave it to him. He took it and kissing it,
opened and read it; after which he handed it to Abu al-Hasan, who found
these verses written therein:—
This messenger shall give my news to thee; ✿ Patience what while my
sight thou canst not see:
A lover leav'st in love's insanity, ✿ Whose eyne abide on wake
incessantly:
I suffer patience-pangs in woes that none ✿ Of men can medicine;—such my
destiny!
Keep cool thine eyes; ne'er shall my heart forget, ✿ Nor without dream
of thee one day shall be.
Look what befel thy wasted frame, and thence ✿ Argue what I am doomed
for love to dree!
"And afterwards[200]: Without fingers[201] I have written to thee, and
without tongue I have spoken to thee ✿ to resume my case, I have an eye
wherefrom sleeplessness departeth not ✿ and a heart whence sorrowful
thought stirreth not ✿ It is with me as though health I had never known
✿ nor in sadness ever ceased to wone ✿ nor spent an hour in pleasant
place ✿ but it is as if I were made up of pine and of the pain of
passion and chagrin ✿ Sickness unceasingly troubleth ✿ and my yearning
ever redoubleth ✿ desire still groweth ✿ and longing in my heart still
gloweth ✿ I pray Allah to hasten our union ✿ and dispel of my mind the
confusion ✿ And I would fain thou favour me ✿ with some words of thine ✿
that I may cheer my heart in pain and repine ✿ Moreover, I would have
thee put on a patience lief, until Allah vouchsafe relief ✿ And His
peace be with thee."[202] When Ali bin Bakkar had read this letter he
said in weak accents and feeble voice, "With what hand shall I write and
with what tongue shall I make moan and lament? Indeed she addeth
sickness to my sickness and draweth death upon my death!" Then he sat up
and taking in hand ink-case and paper, wrote the following reply:—"In
the name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate![203] Thy
letter hath reached me, O my lady, and hath given ease to a sprite worn
out with passion and love-longing, and hath brought healing to a wounded
heart cankered with languishment and sickness; for indeed I am become
even as saith the poet:—
Straitenèd bosom; reveries dispread; ✿ Slumberless eyelids; body
wearièd;
Patience cut short; disunion longsomest; ✿ Reason deranged and heart
whose life is fled!
And know that complaining is unavailing; but it easeth him whom
love-longing disordereth and separation destroyeth and, with
repeating:—Union, I keep myself comforted and how fine is the saying of
the poet who said:—
Did not in love-plight joys and sorrows meet, ✿ How would the message or
the writ be sweet?"
When he had made an end of this letter, he handed it to Abu al-Hasan,
saying, "Read it and give it to the damsel." So he took it and read it
and its words stirred his soul and its meaning wounded his vitals. Then
he committed it to the girl, and when she took it Ali bin Bakkar said to
her, "Salute thy lady for me and acquaint her with my love and longing
and how passion is blended with my flesh and my bones; and say to her
that in very deed I need a woman who shall snatch me from the sea of
destruction and save me from this dilemma; for of a truth Fortune
oppresseth me with her vicissitudes; and is there any helper to free me
from her turpitudes?" And he wept and the damsel wept for his weeping.
Then she took leave of him and went forth and Abu al-Hasan went out with
her and farewelled her. So she ganged her gait and he returned to his
shop, which he opened and sat down there, as was his wont;——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan
farewelled the slave-girl and returned to his shop which he opened and
sat down there according to his custom; but as he tarried, he found his
heart oppressed and his breast straitened, and he was perplexed about
his case. So he ceased not from melancholy the rest of that day and
night, and on the morrow he betook himself to Ali bin Bakkar, with whom
he sat till the folk withdrew, when he asked him how he did. Ali began
to complain of desire and to descant upon the longing and distraction
which possessed him, and repeated these words of the poet:—
Men have 'plained of pining before my time, ✿ Live and dead by parting
been terrified:
But such feelings as those which my ribs immure ✿ I have never heard of
nor ever espied.
And these of another poet:—
I have borne for thy love what never bore ✿ For his fair, Kays the "Daft
one"[204] hight of old:
Yet I chase not the wildlings of wold and wild ✿ Like Kays, for madness
is manifold.
Thereupon quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Never did I see or hear of one like unto
thee in thy love! When thou sufferest all this transport and sickness
and trouble being enamoured of one who returneth thy passion, how would
it be with thee if she whom thou lovest were contrary and contumelious,
and thy case were discovered through her perfidy?" And Ali the son of
Bakkar (says Abu al-Hasan) was pleased with my words and he relied upon
them and he thanked me for what I had said and done. I had a friend
(continued Abu al-Hasan), to whom I discovered my affair and that of Ali
and who knew that we were intimates; but none other than he was
acquainted with what was betwixt us. He was wont to come to me and
enquire how Ali did and after a little, he began to ask me about the
damsel; but I fenced him off, saying, "She invited him to her and there
was between him and her as much as can possibly take place, and this is
the end of their affair; but I have devised me a plan and an idea which
I would submit to thee." Asked his friend, "And what is that?" Answered
Abu al-Hasan, "I am a person well known to have much dealing among men
and women, and I fear, O my brother, lest the affair of these twain come
to light and this lead to my death and the seizure of my goods and the
rending of my repute and that of my family. Wherefore I have resolved to
get together my monies and make ready forthright and repair to the city
of Bassorah and there abide, till I see what cometh of their case, that
none may know of me; for love hath lorded over both and correspondence
passeth between them. At this present their go-between and confidante is
a slave-girl who hath till now kept their counsel, but I fear lest haply
anxiety get the better of her and she discover their secret to some one
and the matter, being bruited abroad, might bring me to great grief and
prove the cause of my ruin; for I have no excuse to offer my accusers."
Rejoined his friend, "Thou hast acquainted me with a parlous affair,
from the like of which the wise and understanding will shrink with fear.
Allah avert from thee the evil thou dreadest with such dread and save
thee from the consequences thou apprehendest! Assuredly thy recking is
aright." So Abu al-Hasan returned to his place and began ordering his
affairs and preparing for his travel; nor had three days passed ere he
made an end of his business and fared forth Bassorah-wards. His friend
came to visit him three days after but finding him not, asked of him
from the neighbours who answered, "He set out for Bassorah three days
ago, for he had dealings with its merchants and he is gone thither to
collect monies from his debtors; but he will soon return." The young man
was confounded at the news and knew not whither to wend; and he said in
his mind, "Would I had not parted from Abu al-Hasan!" Then he bethought
him of some plan whereby he should gain access to Ali bin Bakkar; so he
went to his lodging, and said to one of his servants, "Ask leave for me
of thy lord that I may go in and salute him." The servant entered and
told his master and presently returning, invited the man to walk in. So
he entered and found Ali bin Bakkar thrown back on the pillow and
saluted him. Ali returned his greeting and bade him welcome; whereupon
the young man began to excuse himself for having held aloof from him all
that while and added, "O my lord, between Abu al-Hasan and myself there
was close friendship, so that I used to trust him with my secrets and
could not sever myself from him an hour. Now it so chanced that I was
absent three days' space on certain business with a company of my
friends; and, when I came back and went to him, I found his shop locked
up; so I asked the neighbours about him and they replied:—He is gone to
Bassorah. Now I know he had no surer friend than thou; so, by Allah,
tell me what thou knowest of him." When Ali bin Bakkar heard this, his
colour changed and he was troubled and answered, "I never heard till
this day of his departure and, if the case be as thou sayest, weariness
is come upon me." And he began repeating:—
For joys that are no more I wont to weep, ✿ While friends and lovers
stood by me unscattered;
This day when disunited me and them ✿ Fortune, I weep lost loves and
friendship shattered.
Then he hung his head groundwards in thought awhile and presently
raising it and looking to one of his servants, said, "Go to Abu
al-Hasan's house and enquire anent him whether he be at home or
journeying abroad. If they say:—He is abroad; ask whither he be gone."
The servant went out and returning after a while said to his master,
"When I asked for Abu al-Hasan, his people told me that he was gone on a
journey to Bassorah; but I saw a damsel standing at the door who,
knowing me by sight, though I knew her not, said to me:—Art thou not
servant to Ali bin Bakkar? Even so, answered I; and she rejoined:—I bear
a message for him from one who is the dearest of all folk to him. So she
came with me and she is now standing at the door." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar,
"Bring her in." The servant went out to her and brought her in, and the
man who was with Ali looked at her and found her pretty. Then she
advanced to the son of Bakkar and saluted him——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
slave-girl came in to Ali bin Bakkar, she advanced to him and saluted
him and spake with him secretly; and from time to time during the
dialogue he exclaimed with an oath and swore that he had not talked and
tattled of it. Then she took leave of him and went away. Now Abu
al-Hasan's friend was a jeweller,[205] and when she was gone, he found a
place for speech and said to Ali bin Bakkar, "Doubtless and assuredly
the Caliph's household have some demand upon thee or thou hast dealings
therewith?" "Who told thee of this?" asked Ali; and the jeweller
answered, "I know it by yonder damsel who is Shams al-Nahar's
slave-girl; for she came to me a while since with a note wherein was
written that she wanted a necklace of jewels; and I sent her a costly
collar." But when Ali bin Bakkar heard this, he was greatly troubled, so
that the jeweller feared to see him give up the ghost, yet after a while
he recovered himself and said, "O my brother, I conjure thee by Allah to
tell me truly how thou knowest her." Replied he, "Do not press this
question upon me;" and Ali rejoined, "Indeed, I will not turn from thee
till thou tell me the whole truth." Quoth the jeweller, "I will tell
thee all, on condition that thou distrust me not, and that my words
cause thee no restraint; nor will I conceal aught from thee by way of
secret but will discover to thee the truth of the affair, provided that
thou acquaint me with the true state of thy case and the cause of thy
sickness." Then he told him all that had passed from first to last
between Abu al-Hasan and himself, adding, "I acted thus only out of
friendship for thee and of my desire to serve thee;" and assured him
that he would keep his secret and venture life and good in his service.
So Ali in turn told him his story and added, "By Allah, O my brother,
naught moved me to keep my case secret from thee and from others but my
fear lest folk should lift the veils of protection from certain
persons." Rejoined the jeweller, "And I desired not to foregather with
thee but of the great affection I bear thee and my zeal for thee in
every case, and my compassion for the anguish thy heart endureth from
severance. Haply I may be a comforter to thee in the room of my friend,
Abu al-Hasan, during the length of his absence: so be thou of good cheer
and keep thine eyes cool and clear." Thereupon Ali thanked him and
repeated these couplets:—
"An say I:—Patient I can bear his faring, ✿ My tears and sighings give
my say the lie;
How can I hide these tears that course adown ✿ This plain, my cheek, for
friend too fain to fly?"
Then he was silent awhile, and presently said to the jeweller "Knowest
thou what secret the girl whispered to me?" Answered he, "Not I, by
Allah, O my lord!" Quoth Ali, "She fancied that I directed Abu al-Hasan
to go to Bassorah and that I had devised this device to put a stop to
our correspondence and consorting. I swore to her that this was on
nowise so; but she would not credit me and went away to her mistress,
persisting in her injurious suspicions; for she inclined to Abu al-Hasan
and gave ear to his word." Answered the young jeweller, "O my brother, I
understood as much from the girl's manner; but I will win for thee thy
wish, Inshallah!" Rejoined Ali bin Bakkar, "Who can be with me in this
and how wilt thou do with her, when she shies and flies like a wildling
of the wold?" Cried the jeweller "By Allah, needs must I do my utmost to
help thee and contrive to scrape acquaintance with her without exposure
or mischief!" Then he asked leave to depart and Ali bin Bakkar said, "O
my brother, mind thou keep my counsel;" and he looked at him and wept.
The jeweller bade him good-bye and fared forth——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller bade
him good-bye and fared forth not knowing what he should do to win for
him his wishes; and he ceased not walking, while over-musing the matter,
till he spied a letter lying in the road. He took it up and looked at
its direction and superscription, then read it and behold, it ran:—"From
the least worthy of lovers to the most worthy of beloveds." So he opened
it and found these words written therein:—
"A messenger from thee came bringing union-hope, ✿ But that he erred
somehow with me the thought prevailed;
So I rejoiced not; rather grew my grief still more; ✿ Weeting my
messenger of wits and wit had failed.
"But afterwards: Know, O my lord! that I ken not the reason why our
correspondence between thee and me hath been broken off: but, if the
cruelty arise from thy part, I will requite it with fidelity, and if thy
love have departed, I will remain constant to my love of the parted, for
I am with thee even as says the poet:—
Be proud; I'll crouch! Bully; I'll bear! Despise; I'll pray! ✿ Go; I
will come! Speak; I will hear! Bid; I'll obey!"
As he was reading lo! up came the slave-girl, looking right and left,
and seeing the paper in the jeweller's hand, said to him, "O my master,
this letter is one I let fall." He made her no answer, but walked on,
and she walked behind him, till he came to his house, when he entered
and she after him, saying, "O my master, give me back this letter, for
it fell from me." Thereupon he turned to her and said, "O handmaid of
good, fear not neither grieve, for verily Allah the Protector loveth
those who protect; but tell me in truthful way thy case, as I am one who
keepeth counsel. I conjure thee by an oath not to hide from me aught of
thy lady's affairs; for haply Allah shall help me to further her wishes
and make easy by my hand that which is hard." When the slave-girl heard
these words she said, "O my lord, indeed a secret is not lost whereof
thou art the secretist; nor shall any affair come to naught for which
thou strivest. Know that my heart inclineth to thee and would interest
thee with my tidings, but do thou give me the letter." Then she told him
the whole story, adding, "Allah is witness to whatso I say." Quoth he,
"Thou hast spoken truly, for I am acquainted with the root of the
matter." Then he told her his tale of Ali bin Bakkar and how he had
learned his state of mind; and related to her all that had passed from
first to last, whereat she rejoiced; and they two agreed that she should
take the letter and carry it to Ali and return and acquaint the jeweller
with all that happened. So he gave her the letter and she took it and
sealed it up as it was before, saying, "My mistress Shams al-Nahar gave
it to me sealed; and when he hath read it and given me its reply, I will
bring it to thee." Then she took leave and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar,
whom she found waiting, and gave him the letter. He read it and writing
a paper by way of reply, gave it to her; and she carried it to the
jeweller, who tore asunder the seal[206] and read it and found written
therein these two couplets:—
"The messenger, who kept our commerce hid, ✿ Hath failed, and showeth
wrath without disguise;[207]
Choose one more leal from your many friends ✿ Who, truth approving,
disapproves of lies.
"To proceed: Verily, I have not entered upon perfidy ✿ nor have I
abandoned fidelity ✿ I have not used cruelty ✿ neither have I put off
lealty ✿ no covenant hath been broken by me ✿ nor hath love-tie been
severed by me ✿ I have not parted from penitence ✿ nor have I found
aught but misery and ruin after severance ✿ I know nothing of that thou
avouchest ✿ nor do I love aught but that which thou lovest ✿ By Him who
knoweth the secret of hidden things none discover ✿ I have no desire
save union with my lover ✿ and my one business is my passion to conceal
✿ albeit with sore sickness I ail ✿ This is the exposition of my case
and now all hail!" When the jeweller read this letter and learnt its
contents he wept with sore weeping, and the slave-girl said to him,
"Leave not this place till I return to thee; for he suspecteth me of
such and such things, in which he is excusable; so it is my desire to
bring about a meeting between thee and my mistress, Shams al-Nahar,
howsoever I may trick you to it. For the present I left her prostrate,
awaiting my return with the reply." Then she went away and the jeweller
passed the night with a troubled mind. And when day dawned he prayed his
dawn-prayer and sat expecting the girl's coming; and behold, she came in
to him rejoicing with much joy and he asked her, "What news, O damsel?"
She answered, "After leaving thee I went to my mistress and gave her the
letter written by Ali bin Bakkar; and, when she read it and understood
it, she was troubled and confounded; but I said to her:—O my lady, have
no fear of your affair being frustrated by Abu al-Hasan's disappearance,
for I have found one to take his place, better than he and more of worth
and a good man to keep secrets. Then I told her what was between thyself
and Abu al-Hasan and how thou camest by his confidence and that of Ali
bin Bakkar and how that note was dropped and thou camest by it; and I
also showed her how we arranged matters betwixt me and thee." The
jeweller marvelled with much wonder, when she resumed, "And now my
mistress would hear whatso thou sayest, that she may be assured by thy
speech of the covenants between thee and him; so get thee ready to go
with me to her forthwith." When the jeweller heard the slave-girl's
words, he saw that the proposed affair was grave and a great peril to
brave, not lightly to be undertaken or suddenly entered upon, and he
said to her, "O my sister, verily, I am of the ordinary and not like
unto Abu al-Hasan; for he being of high rank and of well-known repute,
was wont to frequent the Caliph's household, because of their need of
his merchandise. As for me, he used to talk with me and I trembled
before him the while. So, if thy mistress would speak with me, our
meeting must be in some place other than the Caliph's palace and far
from the abode of the Commander of the Faithful; for my common sense
will not let me consent to what thou proposest." On this wise he refused
to go with her and she went on to say that she would be surety for his
safety, adding, "Take heart and fear no harm!" and pressed him to
courage till he consented to accompany her; withal, his legs bent and
shivered and his hands quivered and he exclaimed, "Allah forbid that I
should go with thee! Indeed, I have not strength to do this thing!"
Replied she, "Hearten thy heart, if it be hard for thee to go to the
Caliph's palace and thou canst not muster up courage to accompany me, I
will make her come to thee; so budge not from thy place till I return to
thee with her." Then the slave-girl went away and was absent for a
while, but a short while, after which she returned to the jeweller and
said to him, "Take thou care that there be with thee none save thyself,
neither man-slave nor girl-slave." Quoth he, "I have but a negress, who
is in years and who waiteth on me."[208] So she arose and locked the
door between his negress and the jeweller and sent his manservants out
of the place; after which she fared forth and presently returned,
followed by a lady who, entering the house, filled it with the sweet
scent of her perfumes. When the jeweller saw her, he sprang up and set
her a couch and a cushion; and she sat down while he seated himself
before her. She abode awhile without speaking till she had rested
herself, when she unveiled her face and it seemed to the jeweller's
fancy as if the sun had risen in his home. Then she asked her
slave-girl, "Is this the man of whom thou spakest to me?" "Yes,"
answered she; whereupon the lady turned to the jeweller and said to him,
"How is it with thee?" Replied he, "Right well! I pray Allah for thy
preservation and that of the Commander of the Faithful." Quoth she,
"Thou hast moved us to come to thee and possess thee with what we hold
secret." Then she questioned him of his household and family; and he
disclosed to her all his circumstance and his condition and said to her,
"I have a house other than this; and I have set it apart for gathering
together my friends and brethren; and there is none there save the old
negress, of whom I spoke to thy handmaid." She asked him on what wise he
came first to know how the affair began and the matter of Abu al-Hasan
and the cause of his wayfaring: accordingly he told her all he knew and
how he had advised the journey. Thereupon she bewailed the loss of Abu
al-Hasan and said to the jeweller, "Know, O such an one,[209] that men's
souls are active in their lusts and that men are still men; and that
deeds are not done without words nor is end ever reached without
endeavour. Rest is won only by work"——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Sixty-second Night,