TALE OF ALI BIN BAKKAR AND OF SHAMS AL-NAHAR.

It hath reached me, O august King, that in days of yore and in times

and ages long gone before, during the Caliphate of Harun al-Rashid,

there was a merchant who named his son Abú al-Hasan[FN#174] Ali bin

Táhir; and the same was great of goods and grace, while his son was

fair of form and face and held in favour by all folk. He used to enter

the royal palace without asking leave, for all the Caliph's concubines

and slave-girls loved him, and he was wont to be companion with

Al-Rashid in his cups and recite verses to him and tell him curious

tales and witty. Withal he sold and bought in the merchants' bazar, and

there used to sit in his shop a youth named Ali bin Bakkár, of the sons

of the Persian Kings[FN#175] who was formous of form and symmetrical of

shape and perfect of figure, with cheeks red as roses and joined

eyebrows; sweet of speech, laughing-lipped and delighting in mirth and

gaiety. Now it chanced one day, as the two sat talking and laughing

behold, there came up ten damsels like moons, every one of them

complete in beauty and loveliness, and elegance and grace; and amongst

them was a young lady riding on a she-mule with a saddle of brocade and

stirrups of gold. She wore an outer veil of fine stuff, and her waist

was girt with a girdle of gold-embroidered silk; and she was even as

saith the poet,

"Silky her skin and silk that zoned waist; *

Sweet voice; words not o'er many nor too few:

Two eyes quoth Allah 'Be,' and they became; *

And work like wine on hearts they make to rue:

O love I feel! grow greater every night: *

O solace! Doom-day bring our interview."

And when the cortčge reached Abu al-Hasan's shop, she alighted from her

mule, and sitting down on the front board,[FN#176] saluted him, and he

returned her salam. When Ali bin Bakkar saw her, she ravished his

understanding and he rose to go away; but she said to him, "Sit in thy

place. We came to thee and thou goest away: this is not fair!" Replied

he, "O my lady, by Allah, I flee from what I see; for the tongue of the

case saith,

'She is a sun which towereth high a-sky; *

So ease thy heart with cure by Patience lent:

Thou to her skyey height shalt fail to fly; *

Nor she from skyey height can make descent.'"

When she heard this, she smiled and asked Abu al-Hasan, "What is the

name of this young man?"; who answered, "He is a stranger;" and she

enquired, "What countryman is he?"; whereto the merchant replied, "He

is a descendant of the Persian Kings; his name is Ali son of Bakkar and

the stranger deserveth honour." Rejoined she, "When my damsel comes to

thee, come thou at once to us and bring him with thee, that we may

entertain him in our abode, lest he blame us and say, 'There is no

hospitality in the people of Baghdad'; for niggardliness is the worst

fault a man can have. Thou hearest what I say to thee and, if thou

disobey me, thou wilt incur my displeasure and I will never again visit

thee or salute thee." Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "On my head and my eyes:

Allah preserve me from thy displeasure, fair lady!" Then she rose and

went her way. Such was her case; but as regards Ali bin Bakkar he

remained in a state of bewilderment. Now after an hour the damsel came

to Abu al-Hasan and said to him, "Of a truth my lady Shams al-Nahár,

the favourite of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid,

biddeth thee to her, thee and thy friend, my lord Ali bin Bakkar." So

he rose and, taking Ali with him, followed the girl to the Caliph's

palace, where she carried them into a chamber and made them sit down.

They talked together awhile, when behold, trays of food were set before

them, and they ate and washed their hands. Then she brought them wine,

and they drank deep and made merry; after which she bade them rise and

carried them into another chamber, vaulted upon four columns, furnished

after the goodliest fashion with various kinds of furniture, and

adorned with decorations as it were one of the pavilions of Paradise.

They were amazed at the rarities they saw; and, as they were enjoying a

review of these marvels, suddenly up came ten slave-girls, like moons,

swaying and swimming in beauty's pride, dazzling the sight and

confounding the sprite; and they ranged themselves in two ranks as if

they were of the black-eyed Brides of Paradise. And after a while in

came other ten damsels, bearing in their hands lutes and divers

instruments of mirth and music; and these, having saluted the two

guests, sat down and fell to tuning their lute-strings. Then they rose

and standing before them, played and sang and recited verses: and

indeed each one of them was a seduction to the servants of the Lord.

Whilst they were thus busied there entered other ten damsels like unto

them, high-bosomed maids and of an equal age, with black-eyes and

cheeks like the rose, joined eyebrows and looks languorous; a very

fascination to every faithful wight and to all who looked upon them a

delight; clad in various kinds of coloured silks, with ornaments that

amazed man's intelligence. They took up their station at the door, and

there succeeded them yet other ten damsels even fairer than they, clad

in gorgeous array, such as no tongue can say; and they also stationed

themselves by the doorway. Then in came a band of twenty damsels and

amongst them the lady, Shams al-Nahar hight, as she were the moon among

the stars swaying from side to side, with luring gait and in beauty's

pride. And she was veiled to the middle with the luxuriance of her

locks, and clad in a robe of azure blue and a mantilla of silk

embroidered with gold and gems of price; and her waist was girt with a

zone set with various kinds of precious stones. She ceased not to

advance with her graceful and coquettish swaying, till she came to the

couch that stood at the upper end of the chamber and seated herself

thereon. But when Ali bin Bakkar saw her, he versified with these

verses,

"Source of mine evils, truly, she alone 's, *

Of long love-longing and my groans and moans;

Near her I find my soul in melting mood, *

For love of her and wasting of my bones."

And finishing his poetry he said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hadst thou Dealt

more kindly with me thou haddest forewarned me of these things ere I

came hither, that I might have made up my mind and taken patience to

support what hath befallen me." And he wept and groaned and complained.

Replied Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I meant thee naught but good; but

I feared to tell thee this, lest such transport should betide thee as

might hinder thee from foregathering with her, and be a stumbling-block

between thee and her. But be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and

clear;[FN#177] for she to thee inclineth and to favour thee designeth."

Asked Ali bin Bakkar, "What is this young lady's name?" Answered Abu

al-Hasan, "She is hight Shams al-Nahar, one of the favourites of the

Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and this is the palace of

the Caliphate." Then Shams al-Nahar sat gazing upon the charms of Ali

bin Bakkar and he upon hers, till both were engrossed with love for

each other. Presently she commanded the damsels, one and all, to be

seated, each in her rank and place, and all sat on a couch before one

of the windows, and she bade them sing; whereupon one of them took up

the lute and began caroling,

"Give thou my message twice * Bring clear reply in trice!

To thee, O Prince of Beau * -ty[FN#178] with complaint I rise:

My lord, as heart-blood dear * And Life's most precious prize!

Give me one kiss in gift * Or loan, if thou devise:

And if thou crave for more * Take all that satisfies.[FN#179]

Thou donn'st me sickness-dress * Thee with health's weed I

bless."

Her singing charmed Ali bin Bakkar, and he said to her, "Sing me more

of the like of these verses." So she struck the strings and began to

chaunt these lines,

"By stress of parting, O beloved one, *

Thou mad'st these eyelids torment- race to run:

Oh gladness of my sight and dear desire, *

Goal of my wishes, my religion!

Pity the youth whose eyne are drowned in tears *

Of lover gone distraught and clean undone."

When she had finished her verses, Shams al-Nahar said to another

damsel, "Let us hear something from thee!" So she played a lively

measure and began these couplets,

"His[FN#180] looks have made me drunken, not his wine; *

His grace of gait disgraced sleep to these eyne:

Dazed me no cup, but cop with curly crop; *

His gifts overcame me not the gifts of vine:

His winding locks my patience-clue unwound: *

His robed beauties robbed all wits of mine."

When Shams Al-Nahar heard this recital from the damsel, she sighed

heavily and the song pleased her. Then she bade another damsel sing; so

she took the lute and began chanting,

"Face that with Sol in Heaven lamping vies; *

Youth-tide's fair fountain which begins to rise;

Whose curly side-beard writeth writ of love, *

And in each curl concealeth mysteries:

Cried Beauty, 'When I met this youth I knew *

'Tis Allah's loom such gorgeous robe supplies.'"

When she had finished her song, Ali bin Bakkar said to the slave-maiden

nearest him, "Sing us somewhat, thou O damsel." So she took the lute

and began singing,

"Our trysting-time is all too short *

For this long coyish coquetry:

How long this 'Nay, Nay!' and 'Wait, wait?' *

This is not old nobility!

And now that Time deigns lend delight *

Profit of th' opportunity."

When she ended, Ali bin Bakkar followed up her song with flowing tears;

and, as Shams al-Nahar saw him weeping and groaning and complaining,

she burned with love-longing and desire; and passion and transport

consumed her. So she rose from the sofa and came to the door of the

alcove, where Ali met her and they embraced with arms round the neck,

and fell down fainting in the doorway; whereupon the damsels came to

them and carrying them into the alcove, sprinkled rose-water upon them

both. When they recovered, they found not Abu al-Hasan who had hidden

himself by the side of a couch, and the young lady said, "Where is Abu

al-Hasan?" So he showed himself to her from beside the couch and she

saluted him, saying, "I pray Allah to give me the means of requiting

thee, O kindest of men!" Then she turned to Ali bin Bakkar and said to

him, "O my lord, passion hath not reached this extreme pass with thee

without my feeling the like; but we have nothing to do save to bear

patiently what calamity hath befallen us." Replied he, "By Allah, O my

lady, union with thee may not content me nor gazing upon thee assuage

the fire thou hast lighted, nor shall leave me the love of thee which

hath mastered my heart but with the leaving of my life." So saying, he

wept and the tears ran down upon his cheeks like thridded pearls; and

when Shams al-Nahar saw him weep, she wept for his weeping. But Abu

al-Hasan exclaimed, "By Allah, I wonder at your case and am confounded

at your condition; of a truth, your affair is amazing and your chance

dazing. What! this weeping while ye are yet together: then how will it

be what time ye are parted and far separated?" And he continued,

"Indeed, this is no tide for weeping and wailing, but a season for

meeting and merry-making; rejoice, therefore, and take your pleasure

and shed no more tears!" Then Shams al-Nahar signed to a slave-girl,

who arose and presently returned with handmaids bearing a table, whose

dishes of silver were full of various rich viands. They set the table

before the pair and Shams al-Nahar began to eat[FN#181] and to place

tid-bits in the mouth of Ali bin Bakkar; and they ceased not so doing

till they were satisfied, when the table was removed and they washed

their hands. Then the waiting-women fetched censers with all manner of

incense, aloe-wood and ambergris and mixed scents; and

sprinkling-flasks full of rose-water were also brought and they were

fumigated and perfumed. After this the slaves set on vessels of graven

gold, containing all kinds of sherbets, besides fruits fresh and dried,

that heart can desire and eye delight in; and lastly one brought a

flagon of carnelion full of old wine. Then Shams al-Nahar chose out ten

handmaids to attend on them and ten singing women; and, dismissing the

rest to their apartments, bade some of those who remained strike the

lute. They did as she bade them and one of them began to sing,

"My soul to him who smiled back my salute, *

In breast reviving hopes that were no mo'e:

The hand o' Love my secret brought to light, *

And censor's tongues what lies my ribs below:[FN#182]

My tear-drops ever press twixt me and him, *

As though my tear-drops showing love would flow."

When she had finished her singing, Shams al-Nahar rose and, filling a

goblet, drank it off, then crowned it again and handed it to Ali bin

Bakkar;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her

permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar

filled a goblet and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar; after which she bade

another damsel sing; and she began singing these couplets,

"My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, *

Pouring the like of what fills cup to brink:[FN#183]

By Allah wot I not an run these eyne *

Wi' wine, or else it is of tears I drink."

And when she ended her recitation, Ali bin Bakkar drained his cup and

returned it to Shams al-Nahar. She filled it again and gave it to Abu

al-Hasan who tossed it off. Then she took the lute, saying, "None shall

sing over my cup save myself;" so she screwed up the strings and

intoned these verses,

"The tears run down his cheeks in double row, *

And in his breast high flameth lover-lowe:

He weeps when near, a-fearing to be far; *

And, whether far or near, his tear-drops flow."

And the words of another,

"Our life to thee, O cup-boy Beauty-dight! *

From parted hair to calves; from black to white:

Sol beameth from thy hands, and from thy lips *

Pleiads, and full Moon through thy collar's night,[FN#184]

Good sooth the cups, which made our heads fly round, *

Are those thine eyes pass round to daze the sight:

No wonder lovers hail thee as full moon *

Waning to them, for self e'er waxing bright:

Art thou a deity to kill and quicken, *

Bidding this fere, forbidding other wight?

Allah from model of thy form made Beau *

-ty and the Zephyr scented with thy sprite.

Thou art not of this order of human *

-ity but angel lent by Heaven to man."

When Ali bin Bakkar and Abu al-Hasan and those present heard Shams

al-Nahar's song, they were like to fly for joy, and sported and

laughed; but while they were thus enjoying themselves lo! up came a

damsel, trembling for fear and said, "O my lady, the Commander of the

Faithful's eunuchs are at the door, Afíf and Masrúr and Marján[FN#185]

and others whom wot I not." When they heard this they were like to die

with fright, but Shams al-Nahar laughed and said, "Have no fear!" Then

quoth she to the damsel, "Keep answering them whilst we remove hence."

And she caused the doors of the alcove to be closed upon Ali and Abu

al-Hasan, and let down the curtains over the entrance (they being still

within); after which she shut the door of the saloon and went out by

the privy wicket into the flower-garden, where she seated herself on a

couch she had there and made one of the damsels knead her feet.[FN#186]

Then she dismissed the rest of her women to their rooms and bade the

portress admit those who were at the door; whereupon Masrur entered, he

and his company of twenty with drawn swords. And when they saluted her,

she asked, "Wherefore come ye?"; whereto they answered, "The Commander

of the Faithful saluteth thee. Indeed he is desolated for want of thy

sight; he letteth thee know that this be to him a day of joy and great

gladness and he wisheth to seal his day and complete his pleasure with

thy company at this very hour. So say, wilt go to him or shall he come

to thee?" Upon this she rose and, kissing the earth, replied, "I hear

and I obey the commandment of the Prince of True Believers!" Then she

summoned the women guards of her household and other slave-damsels, who

lost no time in attending upon her and made a show of obeying the

Caliph's orders. And albeit everything about the place was in

readiness, she said to the eunuchs, "Go to the Commander of the

Faithful and tell him that I await him after a little space, that I may

make ready for him a place with carpets and other matters." So they

returned in haste to the Caliph, whilst Shams al-Nahar, doffing her

outer gear, repaired to her lover, Ali bin Bakkar, and drew him to her

bosom and bade him farewell, whereat he wept sore and said, "O my lady,

this leave-taking will cause the ruin of my very self and the loss of

my very soul; but I pray Allah grant me patience to support the passion

wherewith he hath afflicted me!" Replied she, "By Allah, none shall

suffer perdition save I; for thou wilt fare forth to the bazar and

consort with those that shall divert thee, and thy life will be sound

and thy love hidden forsure; but I shall fall into trouble and

tristesse nor find any to console me, more by token that I have given

the Caliph a tryst, wherein haply great peril shall betide me by reason

of my love for thee and my longing for thee and my grief at being

parted from thee. For with what tongue shall I sing and with what heart

shall I present myself before the Caliph? and with what speech shall I

company the Commander of the Faithful in his cups? and with what eyes

shall I look upon a place where thou art absent? and with what taste

shall I drink wine of which thou drinkest not?" Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Be

not troubled but take patience and be not remiss in entertaining the

Commander of the Faithful this night, neither show him any neglect, but

be of good heart." Now at this juncture, behold, up came a damsel, who

said to Shams al-Nahar, "O my lady, the Caliph's pages are come." So

she hastily rose to her feet and said to the maid, "Take Abu al-Hasan

and his friend and carry them to the upper balcony[FN#187] giving upon

the garden and there leave them till darkness come on; when do thou

contrive to carry them forth." Accordingly the girl led them up to the

balcony and, locking the door upon them both, went her way. As they sat

looking on the garden lo! the Caliph appeared escorted by near an

hundred eunuchs, with drawn swords in hand and girt about with a score

of damsels, as they were moons, all clad in the richest of raiment and

on each one's head was a crown set with jewels and rubies; while each

carried a lighted flambeau. The Caliph walked in their midst, they

encompassing him about on all sides, and Masrur and Afíf and

Wasíf[FN#188] went before him and he bore himself with a graceful gait.

So Shams al-Nahar and her maidens rose to receive him and, meeting him

at the garden-door, kissed ground between his hands; nor did they cease

to go before him till they brought him to the couch whereon he sat

down, whilst all the waiting-women who were in the garden and the

eunuchs stood before him and there came fair handmaids and concubines

holding in hand lighted candles and perfumes and incense and

instruments of mirth and music. Then the Sovereign bade the singers sit

down, each in her place, and Shams al-Nahar came up and, seating

herself on a stool by the side of the Caliph's couch, began to converse

with him; all this happening whilst Abu al-Hasan and Ali bin Bakkar

looked on and listened, unseen of the King. Presently the Caliph fell

to jesting and toying with Shams al-Nahar and both were in the highest

spirits, glad and gay, when he bade them throw open the garden

pavilion. So they opened the doors and windows and lighted the tapers

till the place shone in the season of darkness even as the day. Then

the eunuchs removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu al-Hasan)

"I saw drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine eyes never beheld,

vases of gold and silver and all manner of noble metals and precious

stones, such as no power of description can describe, till indeed it

seemed to me I was dreaming, for excess of amazement at what I saw!"

But as for Ali bin Bakkar, from the moment Shams al-Nahar left him, he

lay strown on the ground for stress of love and desire; and, when he

revived, he fell to gazing upon these things that had not their like

and saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I fear lest the Caliph see

us or come to know of our case; but the most of my fear is for thee.

For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be lost past recourse,

and the cause of my destruction is naught but love and longing and

excess of desire and distraction, and disunion from my beloved after

union with her; but I beseech Allah to deliver us from this perilous

predicament." And they ceased not to look out of the balcony on the

Caliph who was taking his pleasure, till the banquet was spread before

him, when he turned to one of the damsels and said to her, "O

Gharám,[FN#189] let us hear some of thine enchanting songs." So she

took the lute and tuning it, began singing,

"The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, *

Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the

bay,[FN#190]—

Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water

serve * And eke her her passion, with its heat, their

bivouac-fire purvey,—

Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, *

Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him

alway."[FN#191]

Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses she slipped off the stool

whereon she sat and fell to the earth fainting and became insensible to

the world around her; upon which the damsels came and lifted her up.

And when Ali bin Bakkar saw this from the balcony he also slipped down

senseless, and Abu al-Hasan said, "Verily Fate hath divided love-desire

equally upon you twain!"[FN#192] As he spoke lo! in came the damsel who

had led them up to the balcony and said to him, "O Abu al-Hasan, arise

thou and thy friend and come down, for of a truth the world hath waxed

strait upon us and I fear lest our case be discovered or the Caliph

become aware of you; unless you descend at once we are dead ones."

Quoth he, "And how shall this youth descend with me seeing that he hath

no strength to rise?" Thereupon the damsel began sprinkling rose-water

on Ali bin Bakkar till he came to his senses, when Abu al-Hasan lifted

him up and the damsel made him lean upon her. So they went down from

the balcony and walked on awhile till the damsel opened a little iron

door, and made the two friends pass through it, and they came upon a

bench by the Tigris' bank. Thereupon the slave-girl clapped her

hands[FN#193] and there came up a man with a little boat to whom said

she, "Take up these two young men and land them on the opposite side."

So both entered the boat and, as the man rowed off with them and they

left the garden behind them, Ali bin Bakkar looked back towards the

Caliph's palace and the pavilion and the grounds; and bade them

farewell with these two couplets,

"I offered this weak hand as last farewell, *

While to heart-burning fire that hand is guided:

O let not this end union! Let not this *

Be last provision for long road provided!"

Thereupon the damsel said to the boatman, "Make haste with them both."

So he plied his oars deftly (the slave-girl being still with them);—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the boatman rowed

them towards the other bank till they reached it and landed, whereupon

she took leave of them, saying, "It were my wish not to abandon you,

but I can go no farther than this." Then she turned back, whilst Ali

bin Bakkar lay prostrate on the ground before Abu al-Hasan and by no

manner of means could he rise, till his friend said to him, "Indeed

this place is not sure and I fear lest we lose our lives in this very

spot, by reason of the lewd fellows who infest it and highwaymen and

men of lawlessness." Upon this Ali bin Bakkar arose and walked a little

but could not continue walking. Now Abu al-Hasan had friends in that

quarter; so he made search for one of them, in whom he trusted, and who

was of his intimates, and knocked at the door. The man came out quickly

and seeing them, bade them welcome and brought them into his house,

where he seated them and talked with them and asked them whence they

came. Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "We came out but now, being obliged thereto

by a person with whom I had dealings and who hath in his hands dirhams

of mine. And it reached me that he designed to flee into foreign parts

with my monies; so I fared forth to-night in quest of him, taking with

me for company this youth, Ali bin Bakkar; but, when we came hoping to

see the debtor, he hid from us and we could get no sight of him.

Accordingly we turned back, empty-handed without a doit, but it was

irksome to us to return home at this hour of the night; so weeting not

whither to go, we came to thee, well knowing thy kindness and wonted

courtesy." "Ye are welcome and well come!" answered the host, and

studied to do them honour; so the twain abode with him the rest of

their night and as soon as the daylight dawned, they left him and made

their way back without aught of delay to the city. When they came to

the house of Abu al-Hasan, he conjured his comrade to enter; so they

went in and lying down on the bed, slept awhile. As soon as they awoke,

Abu al-Hasan bade his servants spread the house with rich carpets,

saying in his mind, "Needs must I divert this youth and distract him

from thinking of his affliction, for I know his case better than

another." Then he called for water for Ali bin Bakkar who, when it was

brought, rose up from his bed and making his ablutions, prayed the

obligatory prayers which he had omitted for the past day and

night[FN#194]; after which he sat down and began to solace himself by

talking with his friend. When Abu al-Hasan saw this, he turned to him

and said, "O my lord, it were fitter for thy case that thou abide with

me this night, so thy breast may be broadened and the distress of

love-longing that is upon thee be dispelled and thou make merry with

us, so haply the fire of thy heart may thus be quenched." Ali replied,

"O my brother, do what seemeth good to thee; for I may not on any wise

escape from what calamity hath befallen me; so act as thou wilt."

Accordingly, Abu al-Hasan arose and bade his servants summon some of

the choicest of his friends and sent for singers and musicians who

came; and meanwhile he made ready meat and drink for them; so they sat

eating and drinking and making merry through the rest of the day till

nightfall. Then they lit the candles, and the cups of friendship and

good fellowship went round amongst them and the time passed pleasantly

with them. Presently, a singing-woman took the lute and began singing,

"I've been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye *

Down struck me and parted from fondest friend:

Time has proved him foe and my patience failed, *

Yet I ever expected it thus would end."

When Ali bin Bakkar heard her words, he fell to the earth in a swoon

and ceased not lying in his fainting fit till day-break; and Abu

al-Hasan despaired of him. But, with the dawning, he came to himself

and sought to go home; nor could his friend hinder him, for fear of the

issue of his affair. So he made his servants bring a she-mule and,

mounting Ali thereon, carried him to his lodgings, he and one of his

men. When he was safe at home, Abu al-Hasan thanked Allah for his

deliverance from that sore peril and sat awhile with him, comforting

him; but Ali could not contain himself, for the violence of his love

and longing. So Abu al-Hasan rose to take leave of him and return to

his own place.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to

say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu al-Hasan

rose to take leave of him, Ali son of Bakkar exclaimed, "O my brother,

leave me not without news." "I hear and obey," replied the other; and

forthwith went away and, repairing to his shop, opened it and sat there

all day, expecting news of Shams al-Nahar. But none came. He passed the

night in his own house and, when dawned the day, he walked to Ali bin

Bakkar's lodging and went in and found him thrown on his bed, with his

friends about him and physicians around him prescribing something or

other, and the doctors feeling his pulse. When he saw Abu al-Hasan

enter he smiled, and the visitor, after saluting him, enquired how he

did and sat with him till the folk withdrew, when he said to him, "What

plight is this?" Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "It was bruited abroad that I

was ill and my comrades heard the report; and I have no strength to

rise and walk so as to give him the lie who noised abroad my sickness,

but continue lying strown here as thou seest. So my friends came to

visit me; say, however, O my brother, hast thou seen the slave-girl or

heard any news of her?" He replied, "I have not seen her, since the day

we parted from her on Tigris' bank;" and he presently added, "O my

brother, beware thou of scandal and leave this weeping." Rejoined Ali,

"O my brother, indeed, I have no control over myself;" and he sighed

and began reciting,

"She gives her woman's hand a force that fails the hand of me, *

And with red dye on wrist she gars my patience fail and

flee:

And for her hand she fears so sore what shafts her eyes

discharge, * She's fain to clothe and guard her hand with

mail-ring panoply:[FN#195]

The leach in ignorance felt my pulse the while to him I cried, *

'Sick is my heart, so quit my hand which hath no malady:'

Quoth she to that fair nightly vision favoured me and fled, *

'By Allah picture him nor add nor 'bate in least degree!'

Replied the Dream, 'I leave him though he die of thirst,'

I cry, * 'Stand off from water-pit and say why this

persistency.'

Rained tear-pearls her Narcissus-eyes, and rose on cheek belit *

She made my sherbet, and the lote with bits of hail she

bit."[FN#196]

And when his recital was ended he said, "O Abu al-Hasan, I am smitten

with an affliction from which I deemed myself in perfect surety, and

there is no greater ease for me than death." Replied he, "Be patient,

haply Allah will heal thee!" Then he went out from him and repairing to

his shop opened it, nor had he sat long, when suddenly up came the

handmaid who saluted him. He returned her salam and looking at her, saw

that her heart was palpitating and that she was in sore trouble and

showed signs of great affliction: so he said to her, "Thou art welcome

and well come! How is it with Shams al-Nahar?" She answered, "I will

presently tell thee, but first let me know how doth Ali bin Bakkar." So

he told her all that had passed and how his case stood, whereat she

grieved and sighed and lamented and marvelled at his condition. Then

said she, "My lady's case is still stranger than this; for when you

went away and fared homewards, I turned back, my heart beating hard on

your account and hardly crediting your escape. On entering I found her

lying prostrate in the pavilion, speaking not nor answering any, whilst

the Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not knowing what ailed

her and finding none who could make known to him aught of her ailment.

She ceased not from her swoon till midnight, when she recovered and the

Prince of the Faithful said to her, 'What harm hath happened to thee, O

Shams al-Nahar, and what hath befallen thee this night?' Now when she

heard the Caliph's words she kissed his feet and said, 'Allah make me

thy ransom, O Prince of True Believers! Verily a sourness of stomach

lighted a fire in my body, so that I lost my senses for excess of pain,

and I know no more of my condition.' Asked the Caliph, 'What hast thou

eaten to-day?'; and she answered, 'I broke my fast on something I had

never tasted before.' Then she feigned to be recovered and calling for

a something of wine, drank it, and begged the Sovereign to resume his

diversion. So he sat down again on his couch in the pavilion and the

sitting was resumed, but when she saw me, she asked me how you fared. I

told her what I had done with you both and repeated to her the verses

which Ali bin Bakkar had composed at parting-tide, whereat she wept

secretly, but presently held her peace. After awhile, the Commander of

the Faithful ordered a damsel to sing, and she began reciting,

'Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared; *

Would Heaven I wot how fare ye who forsake:

'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood, *

Since you are weeping for mine absence sake.'

But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a

swoon,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her

permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl

continued to Abu al-Hasan, "But when my lady heard this verse, she fell

back on the sofa in a swoon, and I seized her hand and sprinkled

rose-water on her face, till she revived, when I said to her, 'O my

lady, expose not thyself and all thy palace containeth. By the life of

thy beloved, be thou patient!' She replied, 'Can aught befal me worse

than death which indeed I seek, for by Allah, my ease is therein?'

Whilst we were thus talking, another damsel sang these words of the

poet,

'Quoth they, 'Maybe that Patience lend thee ease!' *

Quoth I, 'Since fared he where is Patience' place?

Covenant he made 'twixt me and him, to cut *

The cords of Patience at our last embrace!'[FN#197]

And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams al-Nahar swooned away

once more, which when the Caliph saw, he came to her in haste and

commanded the wine to be removed and each damsel to return to her

chamber. He abode with her the rest of the night, and when dawned the

day, he sent for chirurgeons and leaches and bade them medicine her,

knowing not that her sickness arose from love and longing. I tarried

with her till I deemed her in a way of recovery, and this is what kept

me from thee. I have now left her with a number of her body-women, who

were greatly concerned for her, when she bade me go to you two and

bring her news of Ali bin Bakkar and return to her with the tidings."

When Abu al-Hasan heard her story, he marvelled and said, "By Allah, I

have acquainted thee with his whole case; so now return to thy

mistress; and salute her for me and diligently exhort her to have

patience and say to her, 'Keep thy secret!'; and tell her that I know

all her case which is indeed hard and one which calleth for nice

conduct." She thanked him and taking leave of him, returned to her

mistress. So far concerning her; but as regards Abu al-Hasan, he ceased

not to abide in his shop till the end of the day, when he arose and

shut it and locked it and betaking himself to Ali bin Bakkar's house

knocked at the door. One of the servants came out and admitted him; and

when Ali saw him, he smiled and congratulated himself on his coming,

saying, "O Abu al-Hasan, thou hast desolated me by thine absence this

day; for indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my time."

Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy healing at the price of

my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; and, could I

ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down for thee. Now this

very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been with me and told me that

what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's sojourn with her

mistress; and she acquainted me with everything which had betided her."

And he went on to repeat to him all that the girl had told him of Shams

al-Nahar; at which Ali bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to

him, "Allah upon thee, O my brother, help me in this affliction and

teach me what course I shall take. Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to

abide with me this night, that I may have the solace of thy society."

Abu al-Hasan agreed to this request, replying that he would readily

night there; so they talked together till even-tide darkened, when Ali

bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept copious tears, reciting

these couplets,

"Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, *

My heart thy home; how couldst thou disappear?

How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, *

Nor see I boon of union far or near."

And these the words of another,

"She split my casque of courage with eye-swords that sorely

smite; * She pierced my patience' ring-mail with her shape

like cane-spear light:

Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed *

Camphor set round with ambergris, light dawning through the

night.[FN#198]

Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls *

Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite:[FN#199]

Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her

breast, * And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld

such sight,

Pens, fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink, *

Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite:

O swordsmen armed with trusty steel! I bid you all beware *

When she on you bends deadly glance which fascinates the

sprite:

And guard thyself, O thou of spear! whenas she draweth near *

To tilt with slender quivering shape, likest the nut-brown

spear."

And when Ali bin Bakkar ended his verse, he cried out with a great cry

and fell down in a fit. Abu al-Hasan thought that his soul had fled his

body and he ceased not from his swoon till day- break, when he came to

himself and talked with his friend, who continued to sit with him till

the forenoon. Then he left him and repaired to his shop; and hardly had

he opened it, when lo! the damsel came and stood by his side. As soon

as he saw her, she made him a sign of salutation which he returned; and

she delivered to him the greeting message of her mistress and asked,

"How doth Ali bin Bakkar?" Answered he, "O handmaid of good, ask me not

of his case nor what he suffereth for excess of love-longing; he

sleepeth not by night neither resteth he by day; wakefulness wasteth

him and care hath conquered him and his condition is a consternation to

his friend." Quoth she, "My lady saluteth thee and him, and she hath

written him a letter, for indeed she is in worse case than he; and she

entrusted the same to me, saying, 'Do not return save with the answer;

and do thou obey my bidding.' Here now is the letter, so say, wilt thou

wend with me to him that we may get his reply?" "I hear and obey,"

answered Abu al-Hasan, and locking his shop and taking with him the

girl he went, by a way different from that whereby he came, to Ali bin

Bakkar's house, where he left her standing at the door and walked

in.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her

permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan went

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[FN#200]: Without fingers[FN#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."[FN#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![FN#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,

'Straitened bosom; reveries dispread; *

Slumberless eyelids; body wearied;

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.

When it was the One 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'[FN#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 ground-wards 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,

When it was the One 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,[FN#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.

When it was the One 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." Thereon 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[FN#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;[FN#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 out 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."[FN#208] So she arose and locked the door between his

negress and the jeweller and sent his man-servants 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 way-faring: 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,[FN#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.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar

thus addressed the jeweller, "Rest is gained only by work and success

is gendered only by help of the generous. Now I have acquainted thee

with our affair and it is in thy hand to expose us or to shield us; I

say no more, because thy generosity requireth naught. Thou knowest that

this my handmaiden keepeth my counsel and therefore occupieth high

place in my favour; and I have selected her to transact my affairs of

importance. So let none be worthier in thy sight than she and acquaint

her with thine affair; and be of good cheer, for on her account thou

art safe from all fear, and there is no place shut upon thee but she

shall open it to thee. She shall bring thee my messages to Ali bin

Bakkar and thou shalt be our intermediary." So saying, she rose,

scarcely able to rise, and fared forth, the jeweller faring before her

to the door of her house, after which he returned and sat down again in

his place, having seen of her beauty and heard of her speech what

dazzled him and dazed his wit, and having witnessed of her grace and

courtesy what bewitched his sprite. He sat musing on her perfections

till his mind waxed tranquil, when he called for food and ate enough to

keep soul and body together. Then he changed his clothes and went out;

and, repairing to the house of the youth Ali bin Bakkar, knocked at the

door. The servants hastened to admit him and walked before him till

they had brought him to their master, whom he found strown upon his

bed. Now when he saw the jeweller, he said to him, "Thou hast tarried

long from me, and that hath heaped care upon my care." Then he

dismissed his servants and bade the doors be shut; after which he said

to the jeweller, "By Allah, O my brother, I have not closed my eyes

since the day I saw thee last; for the slave-girl came to me yesterday

with a sealed letter from her mistress Shams al-Nahar;" and went on to

tell him all that had passed with her, adding, "By the Lord, I am

indeed perplexed concerning mine affair and my patience faileth me: for

Abu al-Hasan was a comforter who cheered me because he knew the

slave-girl." When the jeweller heard his words, he laughed; and Ali

said, "Why dost thou laugh at my words, thou on whose coming I

congratulated myself and to whom I looked for provision against the

shifts of fortune?" Then he sighed and wept and repeated these

couplets,[FN#210]

"Full many laugh at tears they see me shed *

Who had shed tears an bore they what I bore;

None feeleth pity for th' afflicted's woe, *

Save one as anxious and in woe galore:

My passion, yearning, sighing, thought, repine *

Are for me cornered in my heart's deep core:

He made a home there which he never quits, *

Yet rare our meetings, not as heretofore:

No friend to stablish in his place I see; *

No intimate but only he and —he."

Now when the jeweller heard these lines and understood their

significance, he wept also and told him all that had passed betwixt

himself and the slave-girl and her mistress since he left him. And Ali

bin Bakkar gave ear to his speech, and at every word he heard his

colour shifted from white to red and his body grew now stronger and

then weaker till the tale came to an end, when he wept and said, "O my

brother, I am a lost man in any case: would mine end were nigh, that I

might be at rest from all this! But I beg thee, of thy favour, to be my

helper and comforter in all my affairs till Allah fulfil whatso be His

will; and I will not gainsay thee with a single word." Quoth the

jeweller, "Nothing will quench thy fire save union with her whom thou

lovest; and the meeting must be in other than this perilous place.

Better it were in a house of mine where the girl and her mistress met

me; which place she chose for herself, to the intent that ye twain may

there meet and complain each to other of what you have suffered from

the pangs of love." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "O good Sir, do as thou wilt

and with Allah be thy reward!; and what thou deemest is right do it

forthright: but be not long in doing it, lest I perish of this

anguish." "So I abode with him (said the jeweller) that night

conversing with him till the morning morrowed,"—And Shahrazad perceived

the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller

continued:—"So I abode with him that night conversing with him till the

morning morrowed, when I prayed the dawn-prayers and, going out from

him, returned to my house. Hardly had I settled down when the damsel

came up and saluted me; and I returned her salutation and told her what

had passed between myself and Ali bin Bakkar, and she said, 'Know that

the Caliph hath left us and there is no one in our place and it is

safer for us and better.' Replied I, 'Sooth thou sayest; yet is it not

like my other house which is both fitter and surer for us;' and the

slave-girl rejoined 'Be it as thou seest fit. I am now going to my lady

and will tell her what thou sayest and acquaint her with all thou hast

mentioned.' So she went away and sought her mistress and laid the

project before her, and presently returned and said to me, 'It is to be

as thou sayest: so make us ready the place and expect us.' Then she

took out of her breast-pocket a purse of dinars and gave this message,

'My lady saluteth thee and saith to thee, 'Take this and provide

therewith what the case requireth.' But I swore that I would accept

naught of it; so she took the purse and returning to her mistress, told

her, 'He would not receive the money, but gave it back to me.' 'No

matter,' answered Shams al-Nahar. As soon as the slave-girl was gone"

(continued the jeweller), "I arose and betook myself to my other house

and transported thither all that was needful, by way of vessels and

furniture and rich carpets; and I did not forget china vases and cups

of glass and gold and silver; and I made ready meat and drink required

for the occasion. When the damsel came and saw what I had done, it

pleased her and she bade me fetch Ali bin Bakkar; but I said, 'None

shall bring him save thou.' Accordingly she went to him and brought him

back perfectly dressed and looking his best. I met him and greeted him

and then seated him upon a divan befitting his condition, and set

before him sweet-scented flowers in vases of china and vari-coloured

glass.[FN#211] Then I set on a tray of many-tinted meats such as

broaden the breast with their sight, and sat talking with him and

diverting him, whilst the slave-girl went away and was absent till

after sundown-prayers, when she returned with Shams al-Nahar, attended

by two maids and none else. Now as soon as she saw Ali bin Bakkar and

he saw her, he rose and embraced her, and she on her side embraced him

and both fell in a fit to the ground. They lay for a whole hour

insensible; then, coming to themselves, they began mutually to complain

of the pains of separation. Thereupon they drew near to each other and

sat talking charmingly, softly, tenderly; after which they somewhat

perfumed themselves and fell to thanking me for what I had done for

them. Quoth I, 'Have ye a mind for food?' 'Yes,' quoth they. So I set

before them a small matter of food and they ate till they were

satisfied and then washed their hands; after which I led them to

another sitting-room and brought them wine. So they drank and drank

deep and inclined to each other; and presently Shams al-Nahar said to

me, 'O my master, complete thy kindness by bringing us a lute or other

instrument of mirth and music that the measure of our joy may be fully

filled.' I replied, 'On my head and eyes!' and rising brought her a

lute, which she took and tuned; then laying it in her lap she touched

it with a masterly touch, at once exciting to sadness and changing

sorrow to gladness; after which she sang these two couplets,

'My sleeplessness would show I love to bide on wake; *

And would my leanness prove that sickness is my make:

And tear-floods course adown the cheeks they only scald; *

Would I knew union shall disunion overtake!'

Then she went on to sing the choicest and most affecting poesy to many

and various modes, till our senses were bewitched and the very room

danced with excess of delight and surprise at her sweet singing; and

neither thought nor reason was left in us. When we had sat awhile and

the cup had gone round amongst us, the damsel took the lute and sang to

a lively measure these couplets,

My love a meeting promised me and kept it faithfully, *

One night as many I shall count in number and degree:

O Night of joyance Fate vouchsafed to faithful lovers tway, *

Uncaring for the railer loon and all his company!

My lover lay the Night with me and clipt me with his right, *

While I with left embraced him, a-faint for ecstasy;

And hugged him to my breast and sucked the sweet wine of his

lips, * Full savouring the honey-draught the honey-man sold

to me.'

Whilst we were thus drowned in the sea of gladness" (continued the

jeweller) "behold, there came in to us a little maid trembling and

said, 'O my lady, look how you may go away for the folk have found you

out and have surrounded the house; and we know not the cause of this!'

When I heard her words, I arose startled and lo! in rushed a slave-girl

who cried, 'Calamity hath come upon you.' At the same moment the door

was burst open and there rushed in upon us ten men masked in kerchiefs

with hangers in their hands and swords by their sides, and as many more

behind them. When I saw this, the world was straitened on me for all

its wideness, and I looked to the door but saw no issue; so I sprang

from the terrace into the house of one of my neighbours and there hid

myself. Thence I found that folk had entered my lodgings and were

making a mighty hubbub; and I concluded that the Caliph had got wind of

us and had sent his Chief of the Watch to seize us and bring us before

him. So I abode confounded and ceased not remaining in my place,

without any possibility of quitting it till midnight. And presently the

house-master arose, for he had heard me moving, and he feared with

exceeding great fear of me; so he came forth from his room with drawn

brand in hand and made at me, saying, 'Who is this in my house?' Quoth

I, 'I am thy neighbour the jeweller;' and he knew me and retired. Then

he fetched a light and coming up to me, said, 'O my brother, indeed

that which hath befallen thee this night is no light matter to me.' I

replied, 'O my brother, tell me who was in my house and entered it

breaking in my door; for I fled to thee not knowing what was to do.' He

answered, 'Of a truth the robbers who attacked our neighbours yesterday

and slew such an one and took his goods, saw thee on the same day

bringing furniture into this house; so they broke in upon thee and

stole thy goods and slew thy guests.' Then we arose" (pursued the

jeweller), "I and he, and repaired to my house, which we found empty

without a stick remaining in it; so I was confounded at the case and

said to myself, 'As for the gear I care naught about its loss, albeit I

borrowed part of the stuff from my friends and it hath come to grief;

yet is there no harm in that, for they know my excuse in the plunder of

my property and the pillage of my place. But as for Ali bin Bakkar and

the Caliph's favourite concubine, I fear lest their case get bruited

abroad and this cause the loss of my life.' So I turned to my neighbour

and said to him, 'Thou art my brother and my neighbour and wilt cover

my nakedness; what then dost thou advise me to do?' The man answered,

'What I counsel thee to do is to keep quiet and wait; for they who

entered thy house and took thy goods have murdered the best men of a

party from the palace of the Caliphate and have killed not a few of the

watchmen: the government officers and guards are now in quest of them

on every road and haply they will hit upon them, whereby thy wish will

come about without effort of thine.'" The jeweller hearing these words

returned to his other house, that wherein he dwelt,—and Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the jeweller

heard these words he returned to his other house wherein he dwelt, and

said to himself, "Indeed this that hath befallen me is what Abu

al-Hasan feared and from which he fled to Bassorah. And now I have

fallen into it." Presently the pillage of his pleasure-house was noised

abroad among the folk, and they came to him from all sides and places,

some exulting in his misfortune and others excusing him and condoling

with his sorrow; whilst he bewailed himself to them and for grief

neither ate meat nor drank drink. And as he sat, repenting him of what

he had done, behold one of his servants came in to him and said, "There

is a person at the door who asketh for thee; and I know him not." The

jeweller went forth to him and saluted him who was a stranger; and the

man whispered to him, "I have somewhat to say between our two selves."

Thereupon he brought him in and asked him, "What hast thou to tell me?"

Quoth the man, "Come with me to thine other house;" and the jeweller

enquired, "Dost thou then know my other house?" Replied the other, "I

know all about thee and I know that also whereby Allah will dispel thy

dolours." "So I said to myself" (continued the jeweller) "'I will go

with him whither he will;' and went out and walked on till we came to

my second house; and when the man saw it he said to me, 'It is without

door or doorkeeper, and we cannot possibly sit in it; so come thou with

me to another place.' Then the man continued passing from stead to

stead (and I with him) till night overtook us. Yet I put no question to

him of the matter in hand and we ceased not to walk on, till we reached

the open country. He kept saying, 'Follow me,' and quickened his pace

to a trot, whilst I trotted after him heartening my heart to go on,

until we reached the river, where he took boat with me, and the boatman

rowed us over to the other bank. Then he landed from the boat and I

landed after him: and he took my hand and led me to a street which I

had never entered in all my days, nor do I know in what quarter it was.

Presently the man stopped at the door of a house, and opening it

entered and made me enter with him; after which he locked the door with

an iron padlock,[FN#212] and led me along the vestibule, till he

brought me in the presence of ten men who were as though they were one

and the same man; they being brothers. We saluted them" (continued the

jeweller) "and they returned our greeting and bade us be seated; so we

sat down. Now I was like to die for excess of weariness; but they

brought me rose-water and sprinkled it on my face; after which they

gave me a sherbet to drink and set before me food whereof some of them

ate with me. Quoth I to myself, 'Were there aught harmful in the food,

they would not eat with me.' So I ate, and when we had washed our

hands, each of us returned to his place. Then they asked me, 'Dost thou

know us?' and I answered, 'No! nor in my life have I ever seen you;

nay, I know not even him who brought me hither.' Said they, 'Tell us

thy tidings and lie not at all.' Replied I, 'Know then that my case is

wondrous and my affair marvellous; but wot ye anything about me?' They

rejoined, 'Yes! it was we took thy goods yesternight and carried off

thy friend and her who was singing to him.' Quoth I, 'Allah let down

His veil over you! Where be my friend and she who was singing to him?'

They pointed with their hands to one side and replied, 'Yonder, but, by

Allah, O our brother, the secret of their case is known to none save to

thee, for from the time we brought the twain hither up to this day, we

have not looked upon them nor questioned them of their condition,

seeing them to be persons of rank and dignity. Now this and this only

it was that hindered our killing them: so tell us the truth of their

case and thou shalt be assured of thy safety and of theirs.' When I

heard this" (continued the jeweller) "I almost died of fright and

horror, and I said to them, 'Know ye, O my brethren, that if generosity

were lost, it would not be found save with you; and had I a secret

which I feared to reveal, none but your breasts would conceal it.' And

I went on exaggerating their praises in this fashion, till I saw that

frankness and readiness to speak out would profit me more than

concealing facts; so I told them all that had betided me to the very

end of the tale. When they heard it, they said, 'And is this young man

Ali Bakkar-son and this lady Shams al-Nahar?' I replied, 'Yes.' Now

this was grievous to them and they rose and made their excuses to the

two and then they said to me, 'Of what we took from thy house part is

spent, but here is what is left of it.' So speaking, they gave me back

most of my goods and they engaged to return them to their places in my

house, and to restore me the rest as soon as they could. My heart was

set at ease till they split into two parties, one with me and the other

against me; and we fared forth from that house and such was my case.

But as regards Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar; they were well-nigh

dying for excess of fear, when I went up to them and saluting them,

asked, 'What happened to the damsel and the two maids, and where be

they gone?', and they answered only, 'We know nothing of them.' Then we

walked on and stinted not till we came to the river-bank where the

barque lay; and we all boarded it, for it was the same which had

brought me over on the day before. The boatman rowed us to the other

side; but hardly had we landed and taken seat on the bank to rest, when

a troop of horse swooped down on us like eagles and surrounded us on

all sides and places, whereupon the robbers with us sprang up in haste

like vultures, and the boat put back for them and took them in and the

boatman pushed off into mid-stream, leaving us on the river bank,

unable to move or to stand still. Then the chief horseman said to us,

'Whence be ye!'; and we were perplexed for an answer, but I said"

(continued the jeweller), "'Those ye saw with us are rogues; we know

them not. As for us, we are singers, and they intended taking us to

sing for them, nor could we get free of them, save by subtlety and soft

words; so on this occasion they let us go, their works being such as

you have seen.' But they looked at Shams al-Nahar and Ali bin Bakkar

and said to me, 'Thou hast not spoken sooth but, if thy tale be true,

tell us who ye are and whence ye are; and what be your place and in

what quarter you dwell.' I knew not what to answer them, but Shams

al-Nahar sprang up and approaching the Captain of the horsemen spoke

with him privily, whereupon he dismounted from his steed and, setting

her on horse-back, took the bridle and began to lead his beast. And two

of his men did the like with the youth, Ali bin Bakkar, and it was the

same with myself. The Commandant of the troop ceased not faring on with

us, till they reached a certain part of the river bank, when he sang

out in some barbarous jargon[FN#213] and there came to us a number of

men with two boats. Then the Captain embarked us in one of them (and he

with us) whilst the rest of his men put off in the other, and rowed on

with us till we arrived at the palace of the Caliphate where Shams

al-Nahar landed. And all the while we endured the agonies of death for

excess of fear, and they ceased not faring till they came to a place

whence there was a way to our quarter. Here we landed and walked on,

escorted by some of the horsemen, till we came to Ali bin Bakkar's

house; and when we entered it, our escort took leave of us and went

their way. We abode there, unable to stir from the place and not

knowing the difference between morning and evening; and in such case we

continued till the dawn of the next day. And when it was again

nightfall, I came to myself and saw Ali bin Bakkar and the women and

men of his household weeping over him, for he was stretched out without

sense or motion. Some of them came to me and thoroughly arousing me

said, 'Tell us what hath befallen our son and say how came he in this

plight?' Replied I, 'O folk, hearken to me!'"—And Shahrazad perceived

the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller

answered them, "'O folk, hearken to my words and give me no trouble and

annoyance! but be patient and he will come to and tell you his tale for

himself.' And I was hard upon them and made them afraid of a scandal

between me and them, but as we were thus, behold, Ali bin Bakkar moved

on his carpet-bed, whereat his friends rejoiced and the stranger folk

withdrew from him; but his people forbade me to go away. Then they

sprinkled rose-water on his face and he presently revived and sensed

the air; whereupon they questioned him of his case, and he essayed to

answer them but his tongue could not speak forthright and he signed to

them to let me go home. So they let me go, and I went forth hardly

crediting my escape and returned to my own house, supported by two men.

When my people saw me thus, they rose up and set to shrieking and

slapping their faces; but I signed to them with my hand to be silent

and they were silent. Then the two men went their way and I threw

myself down on my bed, where I lay the rest of the night and awoke not

till the forenoon, when I found my people gathered round me and saying,

'What calamity befel thee, and what evil with its mischief did fell

thee?' Quoth I 'Bring me somewhat to drink.' So they brought me drink,

and I drank of it what I would and said to them, 'What happened,

happened.' Thereupon they went away and I made my excuses to my

friends, and asked if any of the goods that had been stolen from my

other house had been returned. They answered, 'Yes! some of them have

come back; by token that a man entered and threw them down within the

doorway and we saw him not.' So I comforted myself and abode in my

place two days, unable to rise and leave it; and presently I took

courage and went to the bath, for I was worn out with fatigue and

troubled in mind for Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar, because I had

no news of them all this time and could neither get to Ali's house nor,

out of fear for my life, take my rest in mine own. And I repented to

Almighty Allah of what I had done and praised Him for my safety.

Presently my fancy suggested to me to go to such and such a place and

see the folk and solace myself; so I went on foot to the cloth-market

and sat awhile with a friend of mine there. When I rose to go, I saw a

woman standing over against me; so I looked at her, and lo! it was

Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl. When I saw her, the world grew dark in my

eyes and I hurried on. She followed me, but I was seized with affright

and fled from her, and whenever I looked at her, a trembling came upon

me whilst she pursued me, saying. 'Stop, that I may tell thee

somewhat!' But I heeded her not and never ceased walking till I reached

a mosque, and she entered after me. I prayed a two-bow prayer, after

which I turned to her and, sighing, said, 'What cost thou want?' She

asked me how I did, and I told her all that had befallen myself and Ali

bin Bakkar and besought her for news of herself. She answered, 'Know

that when I saw the robbers break open thy door and rush in, I was in

sore terror, for I doubted not but that they were the Caliph's officers

and would seize me and my mistress and we should perish forthwith: so

we fled over the roofs, I and the maids; and, casting ourselves down

from a high place, came upon some people with whom we took refuge; and

they received us and brought us to the palace of the Caliphate, where

we arrived in the sorriest of plights. We concealed our case and abode

on coals of fire till nightfall, when I opened the river-gate and,

calling the boatman who had carried us the night before, said to him,

'I know not what is become of my mistress; so take me in the boat, that

we may go seek her on the river: haply I shall chance on some news of

her. Accordingly he took me into the boat and went about with me and

ceased not wending till midnight, when I spied a barque making towards

the water gate, with one man rowing and another standing up and a woman

lying prostrate between them twain. And they rowed on till they reached

the shore when the woman landed, and I looked at her, and behold, it

was Shams al-Nahar. Thereupon I got out and joined her, dazed for joy

to see her after having lost all hopes of finding her alive.'" —And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl

went on telling the jeweller, "'I was dazed for joy to see her, after

having lost all hopes of finding her alive. When I came up to her, she

bade me give the man who had brought her thither a thousand gold

pieces; and we carried her in, I and the two maids, and laid her on her

bed; where she passed that night in a sorely troubled state; and, when

morning dawned, I forbade the women and eunuchs to go in to her, or

even to draw near her for the whole of that day; but on the next she

revived and somewhat recovered and I found her as if she had come out

of her grave. I sprinkled rose-water upon her face and changed her

clothes and washed her hands and feet; nor did I cease to coax her,

till I brought her to eat a little and drink some wine, though she had

no mind to any such matter. As soon as she had breathed the fresh air

and strength began to return to her, I took to upbraiding her, saying,

'O my lady, consider and have pity on thyself; thou seest what hath

betided us: surely, enough and more than enough of evil hath befallen

thee; for indeed thou hast been nigh upon death. She said, 'By Allah, O

good damsel, in sooth death were easier to me than what hath betided

me; for it seemed as though I should be slain and no power could save

me. When the robbers took us from the jeweller's house they asked me,

Who mayest thou be? and hearing my answer, 'I am a singing girl, they

believed me. Then they turned to Ali bin Bakkar and made enquiries

about him, 'And who art thou and what is thy condition?; whereto he

replied, 'I am of the common kind. So they took us and carried us

along, without our resisting, to their abode; and we hurried on with

them for excess of fear; but when they had us set down with them in the

house, they looked hard at me and seeing the clothes I wore and my

necklaces and jewellery, believed not my account of myself and said to

me, 'Of a truth these necklaces belong to no singing-girl; so be

soothfast and tell us the truth of thy case. I returned them no answer

whatever, saying in my mind, 'Now will they slay me for the sake of my

apparel and ornaments; and I spoke not a word. Then the villains turned

to Ali bin Bakkar, asking, 'And thou, who art thou and whence art thou?

for thy semblance seemeth not as that of the common kind. But he was

silent and we ceased not to keep our counsel and to weep, till Allah

softened the rogues' hearts to pity and they said to us, 'Who is the

owner of the house wherein we were?' We answered, 'Such an one, the

jeweller; whereupon quoth one of them, 'I know him right well and I wot

the other house where he liveth and I will engage to bring him to you

this very hour. Then they agreed to set me in a place by myself and Ali

bin Bakkar in a place by himself, and said to us, 'Be at rest ye twain

and fear not lest your secret be divulged; ye are safe from us.

Meanwhile their comrade went away and returned with the jeweller, who

made known to them our case, and we joined company with him; after

which a man of the band fetched a barque, wherein they embarked us all

three and, rowing us over the river, landed us with scant ceremony on

the opposite bank and went their ways. Thereupon up came a horse-patrol

and asked us who we were; so I spoke with the Captain of the watch and

said to him, 'I am Shams al-Nahar, the Caliph's favourite; I had

drunken strong wine and went out to visit certain of my acquaintance of

the wives of the Wazirs, when yonder rogues came upon me and laid hold

of me and brought me to this place; but when they saw you, they fled as

fast as they could. I met these men with them: so do thou escort me and

them to a place of safety and I will requite thee as I am well able to

do. When the Captain of the watch heard my speech, he knew me and

alighting, mounted me on his horse; and in like manner did two of his

men with Ali bin Bakkar. So I spoke to her' (continued the handmaid)

'and blamed her doings, and bade her beware, and said to her, 'O my

lady, have some care for thy life!' But she was angered at my words and

cried out at me; accordingly I left her and came forth in quest of

thee, but found thee not and dared not go to the house of Ali bin

Bakkar; so stood watching for thee, that I might ask thee of him and

wot how it goes with him. And I pray thee, of thy favour, to take of me

some money, for thou hast doubtless borrowed from thy friends part of

the gear and as it is lost, it behoveth thee to make it good with

folk.' I replied, 'To hear is to obey! go on;' and I walked with her

till we drew near my house, when she said to me, 'Wait here till I come

back to thee.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to

say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the

slave-girl had addressed the jeweller, "'Wait here till I come back to

thee!' she went away and presently returned with the money, which she

put" (continued the jeweller) "into my hand, saying, 'O my master, in

what place shall we meet?' Quoth I, 'I will start and go to my house at

once and suffer hard things for thy sake and contrive how thou mayst

win access to him, for such access is difficult at this present.' Said

she, 'Let me know some spot, where I shall come to thee,' and I

answered, 'In my other house, I will go thither forthright and have the

doors mended and the place made safe again, and henceforth we will meet

there.' Then she took leave of me and went her way, whilst I carried

the money home, and counting it, found it five thousand dinars. So I

gave my people some of it and to all who had lent me aught I made good

their loss, after which I arose and took my servants and repaired to my

other house whence the things had been stolen; and I brought builders

and carpenters and masons who restored it to its former state.

Moreover, I placed my negress-slave there and forgot the mishaps which

had befallen me. Then I fared forth and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's

house and, when I reached it, his slave-servants accosted me, saying,

'Our lord calleth for thee night and day, and hath promised to free

whichever of us bringeth thee to him; so they have been wandering about

in quest of thee everywhere but knew not in what part to find thee. Our

master is by way of recovering strength, but at times he reviveth and

at times he relapseth; and whenever he reviveth he nameth thee, and

saith, 'Needs must ye bring him to me, though but for the twinkling of

an eye;' and then he sinketh back into his torpor.' Accordingly"

(continued the jeweller) "I accompanied the slave and went in to Ali

bin Bakkar; and, finding him unable to speak, sat down at his head,

whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing me, wept and said, 'Welcome and

well come!' I raised him and making him sit up, strained him to my

bosom, and he said, 'Know, O my brother, that, from the hour I took to

my bed, I have not sat up till now: praise to Allah that I see thee

again!' And I ceased not to prop him and support him until I made him

stand on his feet and walk a few steps, after which I changed his

clothes and he drank some wine: but all this he did for my

satisfaction. Then, seeing him somewhat restored, I told him what had

befallen me with the slave-girl (none else hearing me), and said to

him, 'Take heart and be of good courage, I know what thou sufferest.'

He smiled and I added, 'Verily nothing shall betide thee save what

shall rejoice thee and medicine thee.' Thereupon he called for food,

which being brought, he signed to his pages, and they withdrew. Then

quoth he to me, 'O my brother, hast thou seen what hath befallen me?';

and he made excuses to me and asked how I had fared all that while. I

told him everything that had befallen me, from beginning to end,

whereat he wondered and calling his servants, said, 'Bring me such and

such things.' They brought in fine carpets and hangings and, besides

that, vessels of gold and silver, more than I had lost, and he gave

them all to me; so I sent them to my house and abode with him that

night. When the day began to yellow, he said to me, 'Know thou that as

to all things there is an end, so the end of love is either death or

accomplishment of desire. I am nearer unto death, would I had died ere

this befel!; and had not Allah favoured us, we had been found out and

put to shame. And now I know not what shall deliver me from this my

strait, and were it not that I fear Allah, I would hasten my own death;

for know, O my brother, that I am like bird in cage and that my life is

of a surety perished, choked by the distresses which have befallen me;

yet hath it a period stablished firm and an appointed term.' And he

wept and groaned and began repeating,

'Enough of tears hath shed the lover-wight, *

When grief outcast all patience from his sprite:

He hid the secrets which united us, *

But now His eye parts what He did unite!'"

When he had finished his verses, the jeweller said to him, "O my lord,

I now intend returning to my house." He answered, "There be no harm in

that; go and come back to me with news as fast as possible, for thou

seest my case." "So I took leave of him" (continued the jeweller) "and

went home, and hardly had I sat down, when up came the damsel, choked

with long weeping. I asked, 'What is the matter'?; and she answered, 'O

my lord, know then that what we feared hath befallen us; for, when I

left thee yesterday and returned to my lady, I found her in a fury with

one of the two maids who were with us the other night, and she ordered

her to be beaten. The girl was frightened and ran away; but, as she was

leaving the house, one of the door-porters and guards of the gate met

her and took her up and would have sent her back to her mistress.

However, she let fall some hints, which were a disclosure to him; so he

cajoled her and led her on to talk, and she tattled about our case and

let him know of all our doings. This affair came to the ears of the

Caliph, who bade remove my mistress, Shams al-Nahar, and all her gear

to the palace of the Caliphate; and set over her a guard of twenty

eunuchs. Since then to the present hour he hath not visited her nor

hath given her to know the reason of his action, but I suspect this to

be the cause; wherefore I am in fear for my life and am sore troubled,

O my lord, knowing not what I shall do, nor with what contrivance I

shall order my affair and hers; for she hath none by her more trusted

or more trustworthy than myself.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl

thus addressed the jeweller, "'And in very sooth my lady hath none by

her more trusted or more trustworthy in matter of secrecy than myself.

So go thou, O my master, and speed thee without delay to Ali bin

Bakkar; and acquaint him with this, that he may be on his guard and

ward; and, if the affair be discovered, we will cast about for some

means whereby to save our lives.' On this" (continued the jeweller), "I

was seized with sore trouble and the world grew dark in my sight for

the slave-girl's words; and when she was about to wend, I said to her,

'What reckest thou and what is to be done?' Quoth she, 'My counsel is

that thou hasten to Ali bin Bakkar, if thou be indeed his friend and

desire to save him; thine be it to carry him this news at once without

aught of stay and delay, or regard for far and near; and mine be it to

sniff about for further news.' Then she took her leave of me and went

away: so I rose and followed her track and, betaking myself to Ali bin

Bakkar, found him flattering himself with impossible expectations. When

he saw me returning to him so soon, he said, 'I see thou hast come back

to me forthwith and only too soon.' I answered, 'Patience, and cut

short this foolish connection and shake off the pre-occupation wherein

thou art, for there hath befallen that which may bring about the loss

of thy life and good.' Now when he heard this, he was troubled and

strongly moved; and he said to me, 'O my brother, tell me what hath

happened.' Replied I, 'O my lord, know that such and such things have

happened and thou art lost without recourse, if thou abide in this thy

house till the end of the day.' At this, he was confounded and his soul

well-nigh departed his body, but he recovered himself and said to me,

'What shall I do, O my brother, and what counsel hast thou to offer.'

Answered I, 'My advice is that thou take what thou canst of thy

property and whom of thy slaves thou trustest, and flee with us to a

land other than this, ere this very day come to an end.' And he said,

'I hear and I obey.' So he rose, confused and dazed like one in

epilepsy, now walking and now falling, and took what came under his

hand. Then he made an excuse to his household and gave them his last

injunctions, after which he loaded three camels and mounted his beast;

and I did likewise. We went forth privily in disguise and fared on and

ceased not our wayfare the rest of that day and all its night, till

nigh upon morning, when we unloaded and, hobbling our camels, lay down

to sleep. But we were worn with fatigue and we neglected to keep watch,

so that there fell upon us robbers, who stripped us of all we had and

slew our slaves, when these would have beaten them off, leaving us

naked and in the sorriest of plights, after they had taken our money

and lifted our beasts and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, we

arose and walked on till morning dawned, when we came to a village

which we entered, and finding a mosque took refuge therein for we were

naked. So we sat in a corner all that day and we passed the next night

without meat or drink; and at day-break we prayed our dawn-prayer and

sat down again. Presently behold, a man entered and saluting us prayed

a two-bow prayer, after which he turned to us and said, 'O folk, are ye

strangers?' We replied, 'Yes: the bandits waylaid us and stripped us

naked, and we came to this town but know none here with whom we may

shelter.' Quoth he, 'What say ye? will you come home with me?' And"

(pursued the jeweller) "I said to Ali bin Bakkar, 'Up and let us go

with him, and we shall escape two evils; the first, our fear lest some

one who knoweth us enter this mosque and recognise us, so that we come

to disgrace; and the second, that we are strangers and have no place

wherein to lodge.' And he answered helplessly, 'As thou wilt.' Then the

man said to us again, 'O ye poor folk, give ear unto me and come with

me to my place,' and I replied, 'Hearkening and obedience;' whereupon

he pulled off a part of his own clothes and covered us therewith and

made his excuses to us and spoke kindly to us. Then we arose and

accompanied him to his house and he knocked at the door, whereupon a

little slave-boy came out and opened to us. The host entered and we

followed him;[FN#214] when he called for a bundle of clothes and

muslins for turbands, and gave us each a suit and a piece; so we

dressed and turbanded ourselves and sat us down. Presently, in came a

damsel with a tray of food and set it before us, saying, 'Eat.' We ate

some small matter and she took away the tray: after which we abode with

our host till nightfall, when Ali bin Bakkar sighed and said to me,

'Know, O my brother, that I am a dying man past hope of life and I

would charge thee with a charge: it is that, when thou seest me dead,

thou go to my parent[FN#215] and tell her of my decease and bid her

come hither that she may be here to receive the visits of condolence

and be present at the washing of my corpse, and do thou exhort her to

bear my loss with patience.' Then he fell down in a fainting fit and,

when he recovered he heard a damsel singing afar off and making verses

as she sang. Thereupon he addressed himself to give ear to her and

hearken to her voice; and now he was insensible, absent from the world,

and now he came to himself; and anon he wept for grief and mourning at

the love which had befallen him. Presently, he heard the damsel who was

singing repeat these couplets,

'Parting ran up to part from lover-twain *

Free converse, perfect concord, friendship fain:

The Nights with shifting drifted us apart, *

Would heaven I wot if we shall meet again:

How bitter after meeting 'tis to part, *

May lovers ne'er endure so bitter pain!

Death-grip, death-choke, lasts for an hour and ends, *

But parting-tortures aye in heart remain:

Could we but trace where Parting's house is placed, *

We would make Parting eke of parting taste!'

When Ali son of Bakkar heard the damsel's song, he sobbed one sob and

his soul quitted his body. As soon as I saw that he was dead"

(continued the jeweller), "I committed his corpse to the care of the

house-master and said to him 'Know thou, that I am going to Baghdad, to

tell his mother and kinsfolk, that they may come hither and conduct his

burial.' So I betook myself to Baghdad and, going to my house, changed

my clothes; after which I repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging. Now

when his servants saw me, they came to me and questioned me of him, and

I bade them ask permission for me to go in to his mother. She gave me

leave; so I entered and saluting her, said, 'Verily Allah ordereth the

lives of all creatures by His commandment and when He decreeth aught,

there is no escaping its fulfilment; nor can any soul depart but by

leave of Allah, according to the Writ which affirmeth the appointed

term.'[FN#216] She guessed by these words that her son was dead and

wept with sore weeping, then she said to me, 'Allah upon thee! tell me,

is my son dead?' I could not answer her for tears and excess of grief,

and when she saw me thus, she was choked with weeping and fell to the

ground in a fit. As soon as she came to herself she said to me, 'Tell

me how it was with my son.' I replied, 'May Allah abundantly compensate

thee for his loss!' and I told her all that had befallen him from

beginning to end. She then asked, 'Did he give thee any charge?'; and I

answered, 'Yes,' and told her what he had said, adding, 'Hasten to

perform his funeral.' When she heard these words, she swooned away

again; and, when she recovered, she addressed herself to do as I

charged her. Then I returned to my house; and as I went along musing

sadly upon the fair gifts of his youth, behold, a woman caught hold of

my hand;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her

permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller thus

continued:—"A woman caught hold of my hand; and I looked at her and lo!

it was the slave-girl who used to come from Shams al-Nahar, and she

seemed broken by grief. When we knew each other we both wept and ceased

not weeping till we reached my house, and I said to her, 'Knowest thou

the news of the youth, Ali bin Bakkar?' She replied, 'No, by Allah!';

so I told her the manner of his death and all that had passed, whilst

we both wept; after which quoth I to her, 'How is it with thy

mistress?' Quoth she, 'The Commander of the Faithful would not hear a

single word against her; but, for the great love he bore her, saw all

her actions in a favourable light, and said to her, 'O Shams al-Nahar,

thou art dear to me and I will bear with thee and bring the noses of

thy foes to the grindstone. Then he bade them furnish her an apartment

decorated with gold and a handsome sleeping-chamber, and she abode with

him in all ease of life and high favour. Now it came to pass that one

day, as he sat at wine according to his custom, with his favourite

concubines in presence, he bade them be seated in their several ranks

and made Shams al-Nahar sit by his side. But her patience had failed

and her disorder had redoubled upon her. Then he bade one of the

damsels sing: so she took a lute and tuning it struck the chords, and

began to sing these verses,

'One craved my love and I gave all he craved of me, *

And tears on cheek betray how 'twas I came to yield:

Tear-drops, meseemeth, are familiar with our case, *

Revealing what I hide, hiding what I revealed:

How can I hope in secret to conceal my love, *

Which stress of passion ever showeth unconcealed:

Death, since I lost my lover, is grown sweet to me; *

Would I knew what their joys when I shall quit the field!

Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses sung by the slave-girl, she

could not keep her seat; but fell down in a fainting-fit whereupon the

Caliph cast the cup from his hand and drew her to him crying out; and

the damsels also cried out, and the Prince of True Believers turned her

over and shook her, and lo and behold! she was dead. The Caliph grieved

over her death with sore grief and bade break all the vessels and

dulcimers[FN#217] and other instruments of mirth and music which were

in the room; then carrying her body to his closet, he abode with her

the rest of the night. When the day broke, he laid her out and

commanded to wash her and shroud her and bury her. And he mourned for

her with sore mourning, and questioned not of her case nor of what

caused her condition. And I beg thee in Allah's name' (continued the

damsel) 'to let me know the day of the coming of Ali bin Bakkar's

funeral procession that I may be present at his burial.' Quoth I, 'For

myself, where thou wilt thou canst find me; but thou, where art thou to

be found, and who can come at thee where thou art?' She replied, 'On

the day of Shams al-Nahar's death, the Commander of the Faithful freed

all her women, myself among the rest;[FN#218] and I am one of those now

abiding at the tomb in such a place.' So I rose and accompanied her to

the burial-ground and piously visited Shams al-Nahar's tomb; after

which I went my way and ceased not to await the coming of Ali bin

Bakkar's funeral. When it arrived, the people of Baghdad went forth to

meet it and I went forth with them: and I saw the damsel among the

women and she the loudest of them in lamentation, crying out and

wailing with a voice that rent the vitals and made the heart ache.

Never was seen in Baghdad a finer funeral than his; and we ceased not

to follow in crowds till we reached the cemetery and buried him to the

mercy of Almighty Allah; nor from that time to this have I ceased to

visit the tombs of Ali son of Bakkar and of Shams al-Nahar. This, then,

is their story, and Allah Almighty have mercy upon them!"[FN#219] And

yet is not their tale (continued Shahrazad) more wonderful than that of

King Shahriman. The King asked her "And what was his tale?"—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Seventieth Night,