Persian King, after disguising himself as an old man shotten in years
and taking a seat in the garden, spread out somewhat of the jewels and
ornaments before him and made a show of shaking and trembling as if for
decrepitude and the weakness of extreme senility. After an hour or so a
company of damsels and eunuchs entered with the Princess in their midst,
as she were the moon among the stars, and dispersed about the garden,
plucking the fruits and diverting themselves. Presently they espied a
man sitting under one of the trees; and, making towards him (who was the
Prince), found him a very old man, whose hands and feet trembled for
decrepitude, and before him store of precious jewels and royal
ornaments. So they marvelled at his case and asked him what he did there
with the jewels; when he answered, “With these trinkets I would fain buy
me to wife one of you.” They laughed together at him and said, “If one
of us marry thee, what wilt thou do with her?” Said he, “I will give her
one kiss and divorce her.” Then quoth the Princess, “I give thee this
damsel to wife.” So he rose and coming up to her, leaning on a staff and
shivering and staggering, kissed her and gave her the jewels and
ornaments; whereat she rejoiced and they, laughing at him, went their
way. Next day, they came again to the garden, and finding him seated in
the same place, with more jewels and ornaments than before spread in
front of him, asked him, “O Shaykh, what wilt thou do with this
jewellery?”; and he answered, saying, “I wish therewith to take one of
you to wife even as yesterday.” So the Princess said, “I marry thee to
this damsel;” and he came up to her and kissed her and gave her the
jewels, and they all went their ways. But, seeing such generosity to her
handmaids, the Princess said in herself, “I have more right to all these
fine things than these baggages, and no harm can betide me.” So when
morning morrowed she went down from her chamber singly into the garden,
in the habit of one of her damsels, and presenting herself privily
before the Prince, said to him, “O Shaykh, the King’s daughter hath sent
me to thee, that thou mayst marry me.” He looked at her and knew her; so
he answered, “With love and gladness,” and gave her jewels and ornaments
of the finest and costliest. Then he rose to kiss her, and she off her
guard and fearing nothing but, when he came up to her, he suddenly laid
hold of her with a strong hand and instantly throwing her down, on the
ground abated her maidenhead.[220] Then he pulled the beard from his
face and said to her, “Dost thou not know me?” Asked she, “Who art
thou?” and he answered, “I am Behram, the King’s son of Persia, who have
changed my favour and am become a stranger to my people and estate for
thy sake and have lavished my treasures for thy love.” So she rose from
under him in silence and answered not his address nor spake a word of
reply to him, being dazed for what had befallen her and seeing nothing
better than to be silent, for fear of shame; and she bethought herself
and said, “If I kill myself it will be useless and if I do him die, his
death will profit me naught;” and presently added, “Nothing will serve
me but that I elope with him to his own country.” Then she gathered
together her monies and treasures and sent to him, acquainting him
therewith, to the intent that he also might equip himself with his
wealth and needs; and they agreed upon a night on which to depart. So,
at the appointed time, they mounted race-horses and set out under cover
of the gloom, nor did morning morrow till they had traversed a great
distance; and they ceased not faring forwards till they drew near his
father’s capital in the land of the Persians. When the King heard of his
son’s coming, he rode out to meet him with his troops and rejoiced in
him with exceeding joy. Then, after a few days, he sent the Princess’s
father a splendid present, and a letter to the effect that his daughter
was with him and demanding her wedding equipage. Al-Datma’s father came
out to meet the messengers with the greatest gladness (for that he had
deemed his daughter lost and had grieved sore for her loss): after which
he made bride-feasts and, summoning the Kazi and the witnesses, let draw
up the marriage-contract between his daughter and the Prince of Persia.
He invested the envoys with robes of honour, then he made ready her
equipage and despatched it to her; and Prince Behram abode with her till
death sundered their union. See therefore, O King (continued the
favourite), the malice of men in their dealing with women. As for me, I
will not go back from my due till I die. So the King once more commanded
to put his son to death; but the seventh Wazir came in to him and
kissing the ground before him, said, “O King, have patience with me
whilst I speak these words of good counsel to thee; how many patient and
slow-moving men unto their hope attain, and how many who are precipitate
fall into shameful state! Now I have seen how this damsel hath
profligately excited the King by lies to horrible and unnatural
cruelties; but I his Mameluke, whom he hath overwhelmed with his favours
and bounties, do proffer him true and loyal rede; for that I, O King,
know of the malice of women that which none knoweth save myself; and in
particular there hath reached me, on this subject, the story of the old
woman and the son of the merchant with its warning instances.” Asked the
King, “And what fell out between them, O Wazir?” and the seventh Wazir
answered:—I have heard tell, O King, the tale of
_THE HOUSE WITH THE BELVEDERE_.[221]
A wealthy merchant had a son who was very dear to him and who said to
him one day, “O my father, I have a boon to beg of thee.” Quoth the
merchant, “O my son, what is it, that I may give it thee and bring thee
to thy desire, though it were the light of mine eyes.” Quoth the youth,
“Give me money, that I may journey with the merchants to the city of
Baghdad and see its sights and sail on the Tigris and look upon the
palace of the Caliphs[222]; for the sons of the merchants have described
these things to me and I long to see them for myself.” Said the father,
“O my child, O my little son, how can I endure to part from thee?” But
the youth replied, “I have said my say and there is no help for it but I
journey to Baghdad with thy consent or e’en without it: such a longing
for its sight hath fallen upon me as can only be assuaged by the going
thither.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the merchant’s son
said to his sire, “There is no help for it but that I journey to
Baghdad.” Now when the father saw that there was no help for it, he
provided his son with goods to the value of thirty thousand gold pieces
and sent him with certain merchants in whom he trusted, committing him
to their charge. Then he took leave of the youth, who journeyed with his
friends the merchants till they reached Baghdad, the House of Peace,
where he entered the market and hired him a house, so handsome and
delectable and spacious and elegant that on seeing it he well-nigh lost
his wits for admiration; for therein were pavilions facing one another,
with floors of coloured marbles and ceilings inlaid with gold and lapis
lazuli, and its gardens were full of warbling birds. So he asked the
door-keeper[223] what was its monthly rent, and he replied, “Ten
dinars.” Quoth the young man, “Speakest thou soothly or dost thou but
jest with me?”. Quoth the porter, “By Allah, I speak naught but the
truth, for none who taketh up his abode in this house lodgeth in it more
than a week[224] or two.” “And how is that?” quoth the youth; and quoth
the porter, “O my son, whoso dwelleth in this house cometh not forth of
it, except sick or dead, wherefore it is known amongst all the folk of
Baghdad, so that none offereth to inhabit it, and thus cometh it that
its rent is fallen so low.” Hearing this the young merchant marvelled
with exceeding marvel and said, “Needs must there be some reason for
this sickening and perishing.” However after considering awhile and
seeking refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned, he rented the house and
took up his abode there. Then he put away apprehension from his thought
and busied himself with selling and buying; and some days passed by
without any such ill case befalling him in the house, as the door-keeper
had mentioned. One day as he sat upon the bench before his door, there
came up a grizzled crone, as she were a snake speckled white and black,
calling aloud on the name of Allah, magnifying Him inordinately and, at
the same time, putting away the stones and other obstacles from the
path.[225] Seeing the youth sitting there, she looked at him and
marvelled at his case; whereupon quoth he to her, “O woman, dost thou
know me or am I like any thou knowest?” When she heard him speak, she
toddled up to him and saluting him with the salam, asked, “How long hast
thou dwelt in this house?” Answered he, “Two months, O my mother;” and
she said, “It was hereat I marvelled; for I, O my son, know thee not,
neither dost thou know me, nor yet art thou like unto any one I know;
but I marvelled for that none other than thou hath taken up his abode in
this house but hath gone forth from it, dead or dying, saving thee
alone. Doubtless, O my son, thou hast perilled thy young years; but I
suppose thou hast not gone up to the upper story neither looked out from
the belvedere there.” So saying, she went her way and he fell
a-pondering her words and said to himself, “I have not gone up to the
top of the house; nor did I know that there was a belvedere there.” Then
he arose forthright and going in, searched the by-ways of the house till
he espied, in a wall-corner among the trees, a narrow door between whose
posts[226] the spider had woven her webs, and said in himself, “Haply
the spider hath not webbed over the door, but because death and doom is
within.” However, he heartened himself with the saying of God the Most
High, “Say, nothing shall befal us but what Allah hath written for
us;”[227] and opening the door, ascended a narrow flight of stairs, till
he came to the terrace-roof, where he found a belvedere, in which he sat
down to rest and solace himself with the view. Presently, he caught
sight of a fine house and a well-cared for hard by, surmounted by a
lofty belvedere, overlooking the whole of Baghdad, in which sat a damsel
fair as a Houri. Her beauty took possession of his whole heart and made
away with his reason, bequeathing to him the pains and patience of Job
and the grief and weeping of Jacob. And as he looked at her and
considered her curiously, an object to enamour an ascetic and make a
devotee lovesick, fire was lighted in his vitals and he cried, “Folk say
that whoso taketh up his abode in this house dieth or sickeneth. An this
be so, yon damsel is assuredly the cause. Would Heaven I knew how I
shall win free of this affair, for my wits are clean gone!” Then he
descended from the terrace, pondering his case, and sat down in the
house, but being unable to rest, he went out and took his seat at the
door, absorbed in melancholy thought when, behold, up came the old woman
afoot, praising and magnifying Allah as she went. When he saw her, he
rose and accosting her with a courteous salam and wishes for her life
being prolonged said to her, “O my mother, I was healthy and hearty till
thou madest mention to me of the door leading to the belvedere; so I
opened it and ascending to the top of the house, saw thence what stole
away my senses; and now methinks I am a lost man, and I know no
physician for me but thyself.” When she heard this, she laughed and
said, “No harm shall befal thee Inshallah—so Allah please!” Whereupon he
rose and went into the house and coming back with an hundred dinars in
his sleeve, said to her, “Take this, O my mother, and deal with me the
dealing of lords with slaves and succour me quickly for, if I die, a
claim for my blood will meet thee on the Day of Doom.” Answered she,
“With love and gladness; but, O my son, I expect thou lend me thine aid
in some small matter, whereby hangs the winning of thy wish.” Quoth he,
“What wouldst thou have me do, O my mother?” Quoth she, “Go to the
silk-market and enquire for the shop of Abú al-Fath bin Kaydám. Sit thee
down on his counter and salute him and say to him, “Give me the
face-veil[228] thou hast by thee orfrayed with gold:” for he hath none
handsomer in his shop. Then buy it of him, O my son, at his own price
however high and keep it till I come to thee to-morrow, Allah Almighty
willing.” So saying, she went away and he passed the night upon live
coals of the Ghazá[229]-wood. Next morning he took a thousand ducats in
his pocket and repairing to the silk-market, sought out the shop of Abu
al-Fath to whom he was directed by one of the merchants. He found him a
man of dignified aspect, surrounded by pages, eunuchs and attendants;
for he was a merchant of great wealth and consideration befriended by
the Caliph; and of the blessings which Allah the Most High had bestowed
upon him was the damsel who had ravished the young man’s heart. She was
his wife and had not her match for beauty, nor was her like to be found
with any of the sons of the Kings. The young man saluted him and Abu
al-Fath returned his salam and bade him be seated. So he sat down by him
and said to him, “O merchant, I wish to look at such a face-veil.”
Accordingly he bade his slave bring him a bundle of silk from the inner
shop and opening it, brought out a number of veils, whose beauty amazed
the youth. Among them was the veil he sought; so he bought it for fifty
gold pieces and bore it home well pleased.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundredth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the youth after
buying the veil of the merchant bore it home; but hardly had he reached
the house when lo! up came the old woman. He rose to her and gave her
his purchase when she bade him bring a live coal, with which she burnt
one of the corners of the veil, then folded it up as before and,
repairing to Abu al-Fath’s house, knocked at the door. Asked the damsel,
“Who is there?”; and she answered, “I, such an one.” Now the damsel knew
her for a friend of her mother so, when she heard her voice, she came
out and opening the door to her, said, “What brought thee here, O my
mother? My mamma hath left me and gone to her own house.” Replied the
old woman, “O my daughter, I know thy mother is not with thee, for I
have been with her in her home, and I come not to thee, but because I
fear to pass the hour of prayer; wherefore I desire to make my
Wuzu-ablution with thee, for I know thou art clean and thy house
pure.”[230] The damsel admitted the old trot who saluted her and called
down blessings upon her. Then she took the ewer and went into the
wash-house, where she made her ablutions and prayed in a place there.
Presently, she came out again and said to the damsel, “O my daughter, I
suspect thy handmaidens have been in yonder place and defiled it; so do
thou show me another place where I may pray, for the prayer I have
prayed I account null and void.” Thereupon the damsel took her by the
hand and said to her, “O my mother, come and pray on my carpet, where my
husband sits.” So she stood there and prayed and worshipped, bowed and
prostrated; and presently, she took the damsel unawares and made shift
to slip the veil under the cushion, unseen of her. Then she blessed her
and went her ways. Now as the day was closing Abu al-Fath came home and
sat down upon the carpet, whilst his wife brought him food and he ate of
it his sufficiency and washed his hands; after which he leant back upon
the cushion. Presently, he caught sight of a corner of the veil
protruding from under the cushion; so he pulled it out and considered it
straitly, when, knowing it for that he had sold to the young man, he at
once suspected his wife of unchastity. Thereupon he called her and said,
“Whence hadst thou this veil?” And she swore an oath to him, saying,
“None hath come to me but thou.” The merchant was silent for fear of
scandal, and said to himself, “If I open up this chapter, I shall be put
to shame before all Baghdad;” for he was one of the intimates of the
Caliph and so he could do nothing save hold his peace. So he asked no
questions, but said to his wife, whose name was Mahzíyah, “It hath
reached me that thy mother lieth ill of heart-ache[231] and all the
women are with her, weeping over her; wherefore I order thee to go to
her.” Accordingly, she repaired to her mother’s house and found her in
the best of health; and she asked her daughter, “What brings thee here
at this hour?” So she told her what her husband had said and sat with
her awhile; when behold, up came porters, who brought her clothes from
her husband’s house, and transporting all her paraphernalia and what not
else belonged to her of goods and vessels, deposited them in her
mother’s lodging. When the mother saw this, she said to her daughter,
“Tell me what hath passed between thee and thy husband, to bring about
this.” But she swore to her that she knew not the cause thereof and that
there had befallen nothing between them to call for this conduct. Quoth
her mother, “Needs must there be a cause for this.” And she answered,
saying, “I know of none, and after this, with Almighty Allah be it to
make provision!” Whereupon her mother fell a-weeping and lamented her
daughter’s separation from the like of this man, by reason of his
sufficiency and fortune and the greatness of his rank and dignity. On
this wise things abode some days, after which the curst, ill-omened old
woman, whose name was Miryam the Koranist,[232] paid a visit to Mahziyah
in her mother’s house and saluted her cordially, saying, “What ails
thee, O my daughter, O my darling? Indeed, thou hast troubled my mind.”
Then she went in to her mother and said to her, “O my sister, what is
this business about thy daughter and her husband? It hath reached me
that he hath divorced her! What hath she done to call for this?” Quoth
the mother, “Belike her husband will return to her by the blessed
influence of thy prayers, O Háfizah; so do thou pray for her, O my
sister, for thou art a day-faster and a night-prayer.” Then the three
fell to talking together and the old woman said to the damsel, “O my
daughter, grieve not for, if Allah please, I will make peace between
thee and thy husband before many days.” Then she left them and going to
the young merchant, said to him, “Get ready a handsome entertainment for
us, for I will bring her to thee this very night.” So he sprang up and
went forth and provided all that was fitting of meat and drink and so
forth, then sat down to await the twain; whilst the old woman returned
to the girl’s mother and said to her, “O my sister, we have a splendid
bride-feast to-night; so let thy daughter go with me, that she may
divert herself and make merry with us and throw off her cark and care,
and forget the ruin of her home. I will bring her back to thee even as I
took her away.” The mother dressed her daughter in her finest dress and
costliest jewels and accompanied her to the door, where she commended
her to the old woman’s charge, saying, “‘Ware lest thou let any of
Almighty Allah’s creatures look upon her, for thou knowest her husband’s
rank with the Caliph; and do not tarry, but bring her back to me as soon
as possible.” The old woman carried the girl to the young man’s house
which she entered, thinking it the place where the wedding was to be
held: but as soon as she came into the sitting-saloon——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and First Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as the
damsel entered the sitting-saloon, the youth sprang up to her and flung
his arms round her neck and kissed her hands and feet. She was
confounded at his loveliness, as well as at the beauty of the place and
the profusion of meat and drink, flowers and perfumes that she saw
therein, and deemed all was a dream. When the old woman saw her
amazement, she said to her, “The name of Allah be upon thee, O my
daughter! Fear not; I am here sitting with thee and will not leave thee
for a moment. Thou art worthy of him and he is worthy of thee.” So the
damsel sat down shamefast and in great confusion; but the young man
jested and toyed with her and entertained her with laughable stories and
loving verses, till her breast broadened and she became at her ease.
Then she ate and drank and growing warm with wine, took the lute and
sang these couplets:-
My friend who went hath returned once more; ✿ Oh, the welcome light that
such beauty shows!
And but for the fear of those arrowy eyes, ✿ From his lovely cheek I had
culled the rose.
And when the youth saw that she to his beauty did incline he waxt
drunken without wine and his life was a light matter to him compared
with his love.[233] Presently the old woman went out and left them alone
together to enjoy their loves till the next morning, when she went into
them and gave them both good morrow[234] and asked the damsel, “How hast
thou passed the night, O my lady?” Answered the girl, “Right well,
thanks to thy adroitness and the excellence of thy going-between[235].”
Then said the old woman, “Up, let us go back to thy mother.” At these
words the young man pulled out an hundred sequins and gave them to her,
saying, “Take this and leave her with me to-night.” So she left them and
repaired to the girl’s mother, to whom quoth she, “Thy daughter saluteth
thee, and the bride’s mother hath sworn her to abide with her this
night.” Replied the mother, “O my sister, bear her my salam, and, if it
please and amuse the girl, there is no harm in her staying the night; so
let her do this and divert herself and come back to me at her leisure,
for all I fear for her is chagrin on account of an angry husband.” The
old woman ceased not to make excuse after excuse to the girl’s mother
and to put off cheat upon cheat upon her, till Mahziyah had tarried
seven days with the young man, of whom she took an hundred dinars each
day for herself; while he enjoyed all the solace of life and coition.
But at the end of this time, the girl’s mother said to her, “Bring my
daughter back to me forthright; for I am uneasy about her, because she
hath been so long absent, and I misdoubt me of this.” So the old woman
went out saying, “Woe to thee! shall such words be spoken to the like of
me? and, going to the young man’s house, took the girl by the hand and
carried her away (leaving him lying asleep on his bed, for he was
drunken with wine) to her mother.” She received her with pleasure and
gladness and seeing her in redoubled beauty and brilliancy rejoiced in
her with exceeding joy, saying, “O my daughter, my heart was troubled
about thee and in my uneasiness I offended against this my sister the
Koranist with a speech that wounded her.” Replied Mahziyah, “Rise and
kiss her hands and feet, for she hath been to me as a servant in my hour
of need, and if thou do it not thou art no mamma of mine, nor am I thy
girl.” So the mother went up at once to the old woman and made her peace
with her. Meanwhile, the young man recovered from his drunkenness and
missed the damsel, but congratulated himself on having enjoyed his
desire. Presently Miryam the old Koranist came in to him and saluted
him, saying, “What thinkest thou of my feat?” Quoth he, “Excellently
well conceived and contrived of thee was that same.” Then quoth she,
“Come, let us mend what we have marred and restore this girl to her
husband, for we have been the cause of their separation and it is
unrighteous.” Asked he, “How shall I do?” and she answered, “Go to Abu
al-Fath’s shop and salute him and sit down by him, till thou seest me
pass by, when do thou rise in haste and catch hold of my dress and abuse
me and threaten me, demanding of me the veil. And do thou say to the
merchant:—Thou knowest, O my lord, the face-veil I bought of thee for
fifty dinars? It so chanced that my handmaid put it on and burnt a
corner of it by accident; so she gave it to this old woman, who took it,
promising to get it fine-drawn[236] and return it, and went away, nor
have I seen her from that day to this.” “With joy and good will,”
replied the young man, and rising forthright, walked to the shop of the
silk merchant, with whom he sat awhile till behold, the old woman passed
telling her beads on a rosary she held in hand; whereupon he sprang up
and laying hold of her dress began to abuse and rail at her, whilst she
answered him with fair words, saying, “Indeed, my son, thou art
excusable.” So the people of the bazar flocked round the two, saying,
“What is the matter?” and he replied, “O folk, I bought of this merchant
a veil for fifty dinars and gave it to my slave-girl, who wore it
awhile, then sat down to fumigate it with perfume. Presently a spark
flew out of the censer and, lighting on the edge of the veil, burnt a
hole in it. So we committed it to this pestilent old woman, that she
might give it to who should fine-draw it and return it to us; but from
that time we have never set eyes on her again till this day.” Answered
the old woman, “This young man speaks sooth. I had the veil from him,
but I took it with me into one of the houses where I am wont to visit
and forgot it there, nor do I know where I left it; and, being a poor
woman, I feared its owner and dared not face him.” Now the girl’s
husband was listening to all they said,——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Second Night,