after receiving the fruit from her sire, asked, “Is the season of these
fruits set in?”; and they answered, “Yes!” Thereupon she cried, “Would
we might make ready to take our pleasure in the flower-garden!” “O my
lady,” they replied, “thou sayest well, and by Allah, we also long for
the garden!” So she enquired, “How shall we do, seeing that every year
it is none save my nurse who taketh us to walk in the garden and who
pointeth out to us the various trees and plants; and I have beaten her
and forbidden her from me? Indeed, I repent me of what was done by me
to her, for that, in any case, she is my nurse and hath over me the
right of fosterage. But there is no Majesty and there is no Might save
in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” When her handmaids heard this, they
all sprang up; and, kissing the ground between her hands, exclaimed,
“Allah upon thee, O my lady, do thou pardon her and bid her to the
presence!”; and quoth she, “By Allah, I am resolved upon this; but
which of you will go to her, for I have prepared her a splendid robe of
honour?” Hereupon two damsels came forward, by name Bulbul and Siwád
al-‘Ayn, who were comely and graceful and the principals among the
Princess’s women, and her favourites. And they said, “We will go to
her, O King’s daughter!”; and she said, “Do what seemeth good to you.”
So they went to the house of the nurse and knocked at the door and
entered; and she, recognising the twain, received them with open arms
and welcomed them. When they had sat awhile with her, they said to her,
“O nurse, the Princess pardoneth thee and desireth to take thee back
into favour.” She replied, “This may never be, though I drink the cup
of ruin! Hast thou forgotten how she put me to shame before those who
love me and those who hate me, when my clothes were dyed with my blood
and I well nigh died for stress of beating, and after this they dragged
me forth by the feet, like a dead dog, and cast me without the door? So
by Allah, I will never return to her nor fill my eyes with her sight!”
Quoth the two girls, “Disappoint not our pains in coming to thee nor
send us away unsuccessful. Where is thy courtesy uswards? Think but who
it is that cometh in to visit thee: canst thou wish for any higher of
standing than we with the King’s daughter?” She replied, “I take refuge
with Allah: well I wot that my station is less than yours; were it not
that the Princess’s favour exalted me above all her women, so that,
were I wroth with the greatest of them, she had died in her skin of
fright.” They rejoined, “All is as it was and naught is in anywise
changed. Indeed, ’tis better than before, for the Princess humbleth
herself to thee and seeketh a reconciliation without intermediary.”
Said the old woman, “By Allah, were it not for your presence and
intercession with me, I had never returned to her; no, not though she
had commanded to slay me!” They thanked her for this and she rose and
dressing herself accompanied them to the palace. Now when the King’s
daughter saw her, she sprang to her feet in honour, and the old woman
said, “Allah! Allah! O King’s daughter, say me, whose was the fault,
mine or thine?” Hayat al-Nufus replied, “The fault was mine, and ’tis
thine to pardon and forgive. By Allah, O my nurse, thy rank is high
with me and thou hast over me the right of fosterage; but thou knowest
that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath allotted to His creatures
four things, disposition, life, daily bread and death; nor is it in
man’s power to avert that which is decreed. Verily, I was beside myself
and could not recover my senses; but, O my nurse, I repent of what deed
I did.” With this, the crone’s anger ceased from her and she rose and
kissed the ground before the Princess, who called for a costly robe of
honour and threw it over her, whereat she rejoiced with exceeding joy
in the presence of the Princess’s slaves and women. When all ended thus
happily, Hayat al-Nufus said to the old woman, “O my nurse, how go the
fruits and growths of our garth?”; and she replied, “O my lady, I see
excellent fruits in the town; but I will enquire of this matter and
return thee an answer this very day.” Then she withdrew, honoured with
all honour and betook herself to Ardashir, who received her with open
arms and embraced her and rejoiced in her coming, for that he had
expected her long and longingly. She told him all that had passed
between herself and the Princess and how her mistress was minded to go
down into the garden on such a day.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old
woman betook herself to the Prince and told him all that had passed
between herself and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus; and how her mistress
was minded to go down into the garden on such a day and said to him,
“Hast thou done as I bade thee with the Warder of the garden and
hast thou made him taste of thy bounties?” He replied, “Yes, and the
oldster is become my good friend: my way is his way and he would well
I had need of him.” Then he told her all that had happened and of
the dream-paintings which the Wazir had caused to be limned in the
pavilion; especially of the fowler, the net and the falcon: whereat
she joyed with great joy and said, “Allah upon thee, do thou set thy
Minister midmost thy heart, for this that he hath done pointeth to the
keenness of his wit and he hath helped thee to the winning thy wish.
So rise forthright, O my son, and go to the Hammam-bath and don thy
daintiest dress, wherein may be our success. Then fare thou to the
Gardener and make shift to pass the night in the garden, for though
he should give the earth full of gold none may win to pass into it,
whilst the King’s daughter is therein. When thou hast entered, hide
thee where no eye may espy thee and keep concealed till thou hear
me cry, ‘O Thou whose boons are hidden, save us from that we fear!’
Then come forth from thine ambush and walk among the trees and show
thy beauty and loveliness which put the moons to shame, to the intent
that Princess Hayat al-Nufus may see thee and that her heart and soul
may be filled with love of thee; so shalt thou attain to thy wish and
thy grief be gone.” “To hear is to obey,” replied the young Prince
and gave her a purse of a thousand dinars, which she took and went
away. Thereupon Ardashir fared straight for the bath and washed; after
which he arrayed himself in the richest of robes of the apparel of the
Kings of the Chosroës and girt his middle with a girdle wherein were
conjoined all manner precious stones and donned a turband inwoven with
red gold and purfled with pearls and gems. His cheeks shone rosy-red
and his lips were scarlet; his eyelids like the gazelle’s wantoned;
like a wine-struck wight in his gait he swayed; beauty and loveliness
garbed him, and his shape shamed the bowing of the bough. Then he put
in his pocket a purse containing a thousand dinars and, repairing
to the flower-garden, knocked at the door. The Gardener opened to
him and rejoicing with great joy salamed to him in most worshipful
fashion; then, observing that his face was overcast, he asked him how
he did. The King’s son answered, “Know, O elder, that I am dear to
my father and he never laid his hand on me till this day, when words
arose between us and he abused me and smote me on the face and struck
me with his staff and drave me away. Now I have no friend to turn to
and I fear the perfidy of Fortune, for thou knowest that the wrath of
parents is no light thing. Wherefore I come to thee, O uncle, seeing
that to my father thou art known, and I desire of thy favour that thou
suffer me abide in the garden till the end of the day, or pass the
night there, till Allah grant good understanding between myself and
my sire.” When the old man heard these words he was concerned anent
what had occurred and said, “O my lord, dost thou give me leave to
go to thy sire and be the means of reconciliation between thee and
him?” Replied Ardashir, “O uncle, thou must know that my father is of
impatient nature, and irascible; so an thou proffer him reconciliation
in his heat of temper he will make thee no answer; but when a day or
two shall have passed, his heat will soften. Then go thou in to him
and thereupon he will relent.” “Hearkening and obedience,” quoth the
Gardener; “but, O my lord, do thou come with me to my house, where thou
shalt night with my children and my family and none shall reproach
this to us.” Quoth Ardashir, “O uncle, I must be alone when I am
angry.”[FN#281] The old man said, “It irketh me that thou shouldst
lie solitary in the garden, when I have a house.” But Ardashir said,
“O uncle, I have an aim in this, that the trouble of my mind may be
dispelled from me and I know that in this lies the means of regaining
his favour and softening his heart to me.” Rejoined the Gardener, “I
will fetch thee a carpet to sleep on and a coverlet wherewith to cover
thee;” and the Prince said, “There is no harm in that, O uncle.” So
the keeper rose and opened the garden to him, and brought him the
carpet and coverlet, knowing not that the King’s daughter was minded
to visit the garth. On this wise fared it with the Prince; but as
regards the nurse, she returned to the Princess and told her that the
fruits were kindly ripe on the garden trees; whereupon she said, “O
my nurse, go down with me to-morrow into the garden, that we may walk
about in it and take our pleasure,—Inshallah; and send meanwhile to
the Gardener, to let him know what we purpose.” So she sent to the
Gardener to say, “The Princess will visit the parterre to-morrow, so
leave neither water-carriers nor tree-tenders therein, nor let one of
Allah’s creatures enter the garth.” When word came to him, he set his
water-ways and channels in order and, going to Ardashir, said to him,
“O my lord, the King’s daughter is mistress of this garden; and I have
only to crave thy pardon, for the place is thy place and I live only
in thy favours, except that my tongue is under thy feet.[FN#282] I
must tell thee that the Princess Hayat al-Nufus hath a mind to visit
it to-morrow at the first of the day and hath bidden me leave none
therein who might look upon her. So I would have thee of thy favour go
forth of the garden this day, for the Queen will abide only in it till
the time of mid-afternoon prayer and after it shall be at thy service
for se’nnights and fortnights, months and years.” Ardashir asked, “O
elder, haply we have caused thee some mishap?”; and the other answered,
“By Allah, O my lord, naught hath betided me from thee but honour!”
Rejoined the Prince, “An it be so, nothing but all good shall befal
thee through us; for I will hide in the garden and none shall espy
me, till the King’s daughter hath gone back to her palace.” Said the
Gardener, “O my lord, an she espy the shadow of a man in the garden
or any of Allah’s male creatures she will strike off my head;”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Gardener said to the Prince, “An the King’s daughter espy the shadow of
a man in her garden, she will strike off my head;” the youth replied,
“Have no fear, I will on no wise let any see me. But doubtless to-day
thou lackest of spending-money for thy family.” Then he put his hand
to his purse and pulled out five hundred ducats, which he gave to him
saying, “Take this gold and lay it out on thy family, that thy heart
may be at ease concerning them.” When the Shaykh looked upon the gold,
his life seemed a light thing to him[FN#283] and he suffered the Prince
to tarry where he was, charging him straitly not to show himself in the
garden. Then he left him loitering about. Meanwhile, when the eunuchs
went in to the Princess at break of day, she bade open the private
wicket leading from the palace to the parterres and donned a royal
robe, embroidered with pearls and jewels and gems, over a shift of
fine silk purfled with rubies. Under the whole was that which tongue
refuseth to explain, whereat was confounded the brain and whose love
would embrave the craven’s strain. On her head she set a crown of red
gold, inlaid with pearls and gems and she tripped in pattens of cloth
of gold, embroidered with fresh pearls[FN#284] and adorned with all
manner precious stones. Then she put her hand upon the old woman’s
shoulder and commanded to go forth by the privy door; but the nurse
looked at the garden and, seeing it full of eunuchs and handmaids
walking about, eating the fruits and troubling the streams and taking
their ease of sport and pleasure in the water said to the Princess, “O
my lady, is this a garden or a madhouse?” Quoth the Princess, “What
meaneth thy speech, O nurse?”; and quoth the old woman, “Verily the
garden is full of slave-girls and eunuchs, eating of the fruits and
troubling the streams and scaring the birds and hindering us from
taking our ease and sporting and laughing and what not else; and thou
hast no need of them. Wert thou going forth of thy palace into the
highway, this would be fitting, as an honour and a ward to thee; but,
now, O my lady, thou goest forth of the wicket into the garden, where
none of Almighty Allah’s creatures may look on thee.” Rejoined the
Princess, “By Allah, O nurse mine, thou sayst sooth! But how shall we
do?”; and the old woman said, “Bid the eunuchs send them all away and
keep only two of the slave-girls, that we may make merry with them.”
So she dismissed them all, with the exception of two of her handmaids
who were most in favour with her. But when the old woman saw that her
heart was light and that the season was pleasant to her, she said to
her, “Now we can enjoy ourselves aright: so up and let us take our
pleasance in the garden.” The Princess put her hand upon her shoulder
and went out by the private door. The two waiting-women walked in
front and she followed them laughing at them and swaying gracefully
to and fro in her ample robes; whilst the nurse forewent her, showing
her the trees and feeding her with fruits; and so they fared on from
place to place, till they came to the pavilion, which when the King’s
daughter beheld and saw that it had been restored, she asked the old
woman, “O my nurse, seest thou yonder pavilion? It hath been repaired
and its walls whitened.” She answered, “By Allah, O my lady, I heard
say that the keeper of the garden had taken stuffs of a company of
merchants and sold them and bought bricks and lime and plaster and
stones and so forth with the price; so I asked him what he had done
with all this, and he said, ‘I have repaired the pavilion which lay in
ruins,’ presently adding, ‘And when the merchants sought their due of
me, I said to them, ‘Wait ‘till the Princess visit the garden and see
the repairs and they satisfy her; then will I take of her what she is
pleased to bestow on me, and pay you what is your due.’ Quoth I, ‘What
moved thee to do this thing?’; and quoth he, ‘I saw the pavilion in
ruins, the coigns thrown down and the stucco peeled from the walls,
and none had the grace to repair it; so I borrowed the coin on my own
account and restored the place; and I trust in the King’s daughter to
deal with me as befitteth her dignity.’ I said, ‘The Princess is all
goodness and generosity and will no doubt requite thee.’ And he did all
this but in hopes of thy bounty.” Replied the Princess, “By Allah, he
hath dealt nobly in rebuilding it and hath done the deed of generous
men! Call me my purse-keeperess.” The old woman accordingly fetched the
purse-keeperess, whom the Princess bade give the Gardener two thousand
dinars; whereupon the nurse sent to him, bidding him to the presence
of the King’s daughter. But when the messenger said to him, “Obey the
Queen’s order,” the Gardener felt feeble and, trembling in every joint,
said in himself, “Doubtless, the Princess hath seen the young man, and
this day will be the most unlucky of days for me.” So he went home and
told his wife and children what had happened and gave them his last
charges and farewelled them, while they wept for and with him. Then
he presented himself before the Princess, with a face the colour of
turmeric and ready to fall flat at full length. The old woman remarked
his plight and hastened to forestall him, saying “O Shaykh, kiss the
earth in thanksgiving to Almighty Allah and be constant in prayer to
Him for the Princess. I told her what thou didst in the matter of
repairing the ruined pavilion, and she rejoiceth in this and bestoweth
on thee two thousand dinars in requital of thy pains; so take them
from the purse-keeperess and kiss the earth before the King’s daughter
and bless her and wend thy way.” Hearing these words he took the gold
and kissed the ground before Hayat al-Nufus, calling down blessings on
her. Then he returned to his house, and his family rejoiced in him and
blessed him[FN#285] who had been the prime cause of this business.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirtieth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Care-taker took the two thousand ducats from the Princess and returned
to his house, all his family rejoiced in him and blessed him who had
been the prime cause of this business. Thus it fared with these; but as
regards the old woman, she said to the Princess, “O my lady, this is
indeed become a fine place! Never saw I a purer white than its
plastering nor properer than its painting! I wonder if he have also
repaired it within: else hath he made the outside white and left the
inside black. Come, let us enter and inspect.” So they went in, the
nurse preceding, and found the interior painted and gilded in the
goodliest way. The Princess looked right and left, till she came to the
upper end of the estrade, when she fixed her eyes upon the wall and
gazed long and earnestly thereat; whereupon the old woman knew that her
glance had lighted on the presentment of her dream and took the two
waiting-women away with her, that they might not divert her mind. When
the King’s daughter had made an end of examining the painting, she
turned to the old woman, wondering and beating hand on hand, and said
to her, “O my nurse, come, see a wondrous thing which were it graven
with needle-gravers on the eye-corners would be a warner to whoso will
be warned.” She replied, “And what is that, O my lady?”; when the
Princess rejoined, “Go, look at the upper end of the estrade, and tell
me what thou seest there.” So she went up and considered the
dream-drawing: then she came down, wondering, and said, “By Allah, O my
lady, here is depicted the garden and the fowler and his net and the
birds and all thou sawest in thy dream; and verily, nothing but urgent
need withheld the male pigeon from returning to free his mate after he
had fled her, for I see him in the talons of a bird of raven which hath
slaughtered him and is drinking his blood and rending his flesh and
eating it; and this, O my lady, caused his tarrying to return and
rescue her from the net. But, O my mistress, the wonder is how thy
dream came to be thus depicted, for, wert thou minded to set it forth
in painture, thou hadst not availed to portray it. By Allah, this is a
marvel which should be recorded in histories! Surely, O my lady, the
angels appointed to attend upon the sons of Adam, knew that the
cock-pigeon was wronged of us, because we blamed him for deserting his
mate; so they embraced his cause and made manifest his excuse; and now
for the first time we see him in the hawk’s pounces a dead bird.” Quoth
the Princess, “O my nurse, verily, Fate and Fortune had course against
this bird, and we did him wrong.” Quoth the nurse, “O my mistress, foes
shall meet before Allah the Most High: but, O my lady, verily, the
truth hath been made manifest and the male pigeon’s excuse certified to
us; for had the hawk not seized him and drunk his blood and rent his
flesh he had not held aloof from his mate, but had returned to her, and
set her free from the net; but against death there is no recourse, nor,
O my lady, is there aught in the world more tenderly solicitous than
the male for the female, among all creatures which Almighty Allah hath
created. And especially ’tis thus with man; for he starveth himself to
feed his wife, strippeth himself to clothe her, angereth his family to
please her and disobeyeth and denieth his parents to endow her. She
knoweth his secrets and concealeth them and she cannot endure from him
a single hour.[FN#286] An he be absent from her one night, her eyes
sleep not, nor is there a dearer to her than he: she loveth him more
than her parents and they lie down to sleep in each other’s arms, with
his hand under her neck and her hand under his neck, even as saith the
poet,
‘I made my wrist her pillow and I lay with her in litter; *
And I said to Night ‘Be long!’ while the full moon showed
glitter:
Ah me, it _was_ a night, Allah never made its like; * Whose
first was sweetest sweet and whose last was bitt’rest
bitter!’[FN#287]
Then he kisseth her and she kisseth him; and I have heard of a certain
King that, when his wife fell sick and died, he buried himself alive
with her, submitting himself to death, for the love of her and the
strait companionship which was between them. Moreover, a certain King
sickened and died, and when they were about to bury him, his wife said
to her people: ‘Let me bury myself alive with him: else will I slay
myself and my blood shall be on your heads.’ So, when they saw she
would not be turned from this thing, they left her, and she cast
herself into the grave with her dead husband, of the greatness of her
love and tenderness for him.” And the old woman ceased not to ply the
Princess with anecdotes of conjugal love between men and women, till
there ceased that which was in her heart of hatred for the sex
masculine; and when she felt that she had succeeded in renewing in her
the natural inclination of woman to man, she said to her, “’Tis time to
go and walk in the garden.” So they fared forth from the pavilion and
paced among the trees. Presently the Prince chanced to turn and his
eyes fell on Hayat al-Nufus; and when he saw the symmetry of her shape
and the rosiclearness of her cheeks and the blackness of her eyes and
her exceeding grace and her passing loveliness and her excelling beauty
and her prevailing elegance and her abounding perfection, his reason
was confounded and he could not take his eyes off her. Passion
annihilated his right judgment and love overpassed all limits in him;
his vitals were occupied with her service and his heart was aflame with
the fire of repine, so that he swooned away and fell to the ground.
When he came to himself, she had passed from his sight and was hidden
from him among the trees;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-first Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Prince
Ardashir, who lay hid in the garden, saw the Princess and her nurse
walking amongst the trees, he swooned away for very love-longing. When
he came to himself Hayat al-Nufus had passed from his sight and was
hidden from him among the trees; so he sighed from his heart-core and
improvised these couplets,
“Whenas mine eyes behold her loveliness, * My heart is torn
with love’s own ecstasy.
I wake o’erthrown, castdown on face of earth * Nor can the
Princess[FN#288] my sore torment see.
She turned and ravished this sad Love-thrall’d sprite; *
Mercy, by Allah, ruth; nay, sympathy!
O Lord, afford me union, deign Thou soothe * My soul, ere
grave-niche house this corse of me;
I’ll kiss her ten times ten times, and times ten * For lover’s
wasted cheek the kisses be!”
The old woman ceased not to lead the Princess a-pleasuring about the
garden, till they reached the place where the Prince lay ambushed,
when, behold she said, “O Thou whose bounties are hidden, vouchsafe us
assurance from that we fear!” The King’s son hearing the signal, left
his lurking-place and, surprised by the summons, walked among the
trees, swaying to and fro with a proud and graceful gait and a shape
that shamed the branches. His brow was crowned with pearly drops and
his cheeks red as the afterglow, extolled be Allah the Almighty in that
He hath created! When the King’s daughter caught sight of him, she
gazed a long while on him and noticed his beauty and grace and
loveliness and his eyes that wantoned like the gazelle’s, and his shape
that outvied the branches of the myrobalan; wherefore her wits were
confounded and her soul captivated and her heart transfixed with the
arrows of his glances. Then she said to the old woman, “O my nurse,
whence came yonder handsome youth?”; and the nurse asked, “Where is he,
O my lady?” “There he is,” answered Hayat al-Nufus; “near hand, among
the trees.” The old woman turned right and left, as if she knew not of
his presence, and cried, “And pray, who can have taught this youth the
way into this garden?” Quoth Hayat al-Nufus, “Who shall give us news of
the young man? Glory be to Him who created men! But say me, dost thou
know him, O my nurse?” Quoth the old woman, “O my lady, he is the young
merchant who wrote to thee by me.” The Princess (and indeed she was
drowned in the sea of her desire and the fire of her passion and
love-longing) broke out, “O my nurse, how goodly is this youth! Indeed
he is fair of favour. Methinks, there is not on the face of earth a
goodlier than he!” Now when the old woman was assured that the love of
him had gotten possession of the Princess, she said to her, “Did I not
tell thee, O my lady, that he was a comely youth with a beaming
favour?” Replied Hayat al-Nufus, “O my nurse, King’s daughters know not
the ways of the world nor the manners of those that be therein, for
that they company with none, neither give they nor take they. O my
nurse, how shall I do to bring about a meeting and present myself to
him, and what shall I say to him and what will he say to me?” Said the
old woman, “What device is left me? Indeed, we were confounded in this
matter by thy behaviour”; and the Princess said, “O my nurse, know thou
that if any ever died of passion, I shall do so, and behold, I look for
nothing but death on the spot by reason of the fire of my
love-longing.” When the old woman heard her words and saw the transport
of her desire for him, she answered, “O my lady, now as for his coming
to thee, there is no way thereto; and indeed thou art excused from
going to him, because of thy tender age; but rise with me and follow
me. I will accost him: so shalt thou not be put to shame, and in the
twinkling of an eye affection shall ensue between you.” The King’s
daughter cried, “Go thou before me, for the decree of Allah may not be
rejected.” Accordingly they went up to the place where Ardashir sat, as
he were the full moon at its fullest, and the old woman said to him,
“See O youth, who is present before thee! ’Tis the daughter of our King
of the age, Hayat al-Nufus: bethink thee of her rank and appreciate the
honour she doth thee in coming to thee and rise out of respect for her
and stand before her.” The Prince sprang to his feet in an instant and
his eyes met her eyes, whereupon they both became as they were drunken
without wine. Then the love of him and desire redoubled upon the
Princess and she opened her arms and he his, and they embraced; but
love-longing and passion overcame them and they swooned away and fell
to the ground and lay a long while without sense. The old woman,
fearing scandalous exposure, carried them both into the pavilion, and,
sitting down at the door, said to the two waiting-women, “Seize the
occasion to take your pleasure in the garden, for the Princess
sleepeth.” So they returned to their diversion. Presently the lovers
revived from their swoon and found themselves in the pavilion, whereat
quoth the Prince, “Allah upon thee, O Princess of fair ones, is this
vision or sleep-illusion?” Then the twain embraced and intoxicated
themselves without wine, complaining each to other of the anguish of
passion; and the Prince improvised these couplets,
“Sun riseth sheen from her brilliant brow, * And her cheek
shows the rosiest afterglow:
And when both appear to the looker-on, * The skyline star
ne’er for shame will show:
An the leven flash from those smiling lips, * Morn breaks and
the rays dusk and gloom o’erthrow.
And when with her graceful shape she sways, * Droops leafiest
Bán-tree[FN#289] for envy low:
Me her sight suffices; naught crave I more: * Lord of Men and
Morn, be her guard from foe!
The full moon borrows a part of her charms; * The sun would
rival but fails his lowe.
Whence could Sol aspire to that bending grace? * Whence should
Luna see such wit and such mind-gifts know?
Who shall blame me for being all love to her, * ’Twixt accord
and discord aye doomed to woe:
’Tis she won my heart with those forms that bend * What shall
lover’s heart from such charms defend?”
——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Prince
had made an end of his verses, the Princess strained him to her bosom
and kissed him on the mouth and between the eyes; whereupon his soul
returned to him and he fell to complaining to her of that he had
endured for stress of love and tyranny of longing and excess of
transport and distraction and all he had suffered for the hardness of
her heart. Hearing those words she kissed his hands and feet and bared
her head,[FN#290] whereupon the gloom gathered and the full moons
dawned therein. Then said she to him, “O my beloved and term of all my
wishes, would the day of estrangement had never been and Allah grant it
may never return between us!” And they embraced and wept together,
whilst she recited these couplets,
“O who shamest the Moon and the sunny glow: * Thou whose
slaught’ring tyranny lays me low;
With the sword of a look thou hast shorn my heart, * How
escape thy sword-glance fatal of blow?
Thus eke are thine eyebrows a bow that shot * My bosom with
shafts of fiercest lowe:
From thy cheeks’ rich crop cometh Paradise; * How, then, shall
my heart the rich crop forego?
Thy graceful shape is a blooming branch, * And shall pluck the
fruits who shall bear that bough.
Perforce thou drawest me, robst my sleep; * In thy love I
strip me and shameless show:[FN#291]
Allah lend thee the rays of most righteous light, * Draw the
farthest near and a tryst bestow:
Then have ruth on the vitals thy love hath seared, * And the
heart that flies to thy side the mo’e!”
And when she ended her recitation, passion overcame her and she was
distraught for love and wept copious tears, rain-like streaming down.
This burnt the Prince’s heart and he in turn became troubled and
distracted for love of her. So he drew nearer to her and kissed her
hands and wept with sore weeping and they ceased not from
lover-reproaches and converse and versifying, until the call to
mid-afternoon prayer (nor was there aught between them other than
this), when they bethought them of parting and she said to him, “O
light of mine eyes and core of my heart, the time of severance has come
between us twain: when shall we meet again?” “By Allah,” replied he
(and indeed her words shot him as with shafts), “to mention of parting
I am never fain!” Then she went forth of the pavilion, and he turned
and saw her sighing sighs would melt the rock and weeping shower-like
tears; whereupon he for love was sunken in the sea of desolation and
improvised these couplets,
“O my heart’s desire! grows my misery * From the stress of
love, and what cure for me?
By thy face, like dawn when it lights the dark, * And thy hair
whose hue beareth night-tide’s blee,
And thy form like the branch which in grace inclines * To
Zephyr’s[FN#292] breath blowing fain and free,
By the glance of thine eyes like the fawn’s soft gaze, * When
she views pursuer of high degree,
And thy waist down borne by the weight of hips, * These so
heavy and that lacking gravity,
By the wine of thy lip-dew, the sweetest of drink, * Fresh
water and musk in its purity,
O gazelle of the tribe, ease my soul of grief, * And grant me
thy phantom in sleep to see!”
Now when she heard his verses in praise of her, she turned back to him
and embracing him, with a heart on fire for the anguish of severance,
fire which naught save kisses and embraces might quench, cried, “Sooth
the byword saith, Patience is for a lover and not the lack thereof.
There is no help for it but I contrive a means for our reunion.” Then
she farewelled him and fared forth, knowing not where she set her feet,
for stress of her love; nor did she stay her steps till she found
herself in her own chamber. When she was gone, passion and love-longing
redoubled upon the young Prince and the delight of sleep was forbidden
him, and the Princess in her turn tasted not food and her patience
failed and she sickened for desire. As soon as dawned the day, she sent
for the nurse, who came and found her condition changed and she cried,
“Question me not of my case; for all I suffer is due to thy handiwork.
Where is the beloved of my heart?” “O my lady, when did he leave thee?
Hath he been absent from thee more than this night?” “Can I endure
absence from him an hour? Come, find some means to bring us together
speedily, for my soul is like to flee my body.” “O my lady, have
patience till I contrive thee some subtle device, whereof none shall be
ware.” “By the Great God, except thou bring him to me this very day, I
will tell the King that thou hast corrupted me, and he will cut off thy
head!” “I conjure thee, by Allah, have patience with me, for this is a
dangerous matter!” And the nurse humbled herself to her, till she
granted her three days’ delay, saying, “O my nurse, the three days will
be three years to me; and if the fourth day pass and thou bring him
not, I will go about to slay thee.” So the old woman left her and
returned to her lodging, where she abode till the morning of the fourth
day, when she summoned the tirewomen of the town and sought of them
fine dyes and rouge for the painting of a virgin girl and adorning; and
they brought her cosmetics of the best. Then she sent for the Prince
and, opening her chest, brought out a bundle containing a suit of
woman’s apparel, worth five thousand dinars, and a head-kerchief
fringed with all manner gems. Then said she to him, “O my son, hast
thou a mind to foregather with Hayat al-Nufus?”; and he replied, “Yes.”
So she took a pair of tweezers and pulled out the hairs of his face and
pencilled his eyes with Kohl.[FN#293] Then she stripped him and painted
him with Henna[FN#294] from his nails to his shoulders and from his
insteps to his thighs and tattooed[FN#295] him about the body, till he
was like red roses upon alabaster slabs. After a little, she washed him
and dried him and bringing out a shift and a pair of petticoat-trousers
made him put them on. Then she clad him in the royal suit aforesaid
and, binding the kerchief about his head, veiled him and taught him how
to walk, saying, “Advance thy left and draw back thy right.” He did her
bidding and forewent her, as he were a Houri faring abroad from
Paradise. Then said she to him, “Fortify thy heart, for thou art going
to the King’s palace, where there will without fail be guards and
eunuchs at the gate; and if thou be startled at them and show doubt or
dread, they will suspect thee and examine thee, and we shall both get
into grievous trouble and haply lose our lives: wherefore an thou feel
thyself unable to this, tell me.” He answered, “In very sooth this
thing hath no terrors for me, so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes
cool and clear.” Then she went out preceding him till the twain came to
the palace-gate, which was full of eunuchs. She turned and looked at
him, as much as to say, “Art thou troubled or no?” and finding him all
unchanged, went on. The chief eunuch glanced at the nurse and knew her
but, seeing a damsel following her, whose charms confounded the reason,
he said in his mind, “As for the old woman, she is the nurse; but as
for the girl who is with her there is none in our land resembleth her
in favour or approacheth her in fairness save the Princess Hayat
al-Nufus, who is secluded and never goeth out. Would I knew how she
came into the streets and would Heaven I wot whether or no ’twas by
leave of the King!” Then he rose to learn somewhat concerning her and
well nigh thirty castratos followed him; which when the old woman saw,
her reason fled for fear and she said, “Verily, we are Allah’s and to
Him we shall return! Without recourse we are dead folk this time.”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted
say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old
nurse saw the head of the eunuchry and his assistants making for her
she was in exceeding fear and cried, “There is no Majesty and there is
no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily we are God’s
and unto him we shall return; without recourse we be dead folk this
time.” When the head eunuch heard her speak thus, fear gat hold upon
him, by reason of that which he knew of the Princess’s violence and
that her father was ruled by her, and he said to himself, “Belike the
King hath commanded the nurse to carry his daughter forth upon some
occasion of hers, whereof she would have none know; and if I oppose
her, she will be wroth with me and will say, ‘This eunuch fellow
stopped me, that he might pry into my affairs.’ So she will do her best
to kill me, and I have no call to meddle in this matter.” So saying, he
turned back, and with him the thirty assistants who drove the people
from the door of the palace; whereupon the nurse entered and saluted
the eunuchs with her head, whilst all the thirty stood to do her honour
and returned her salam. She led in the Prince and he ceased not
following her from door to door, and the Protector protected them, so
that they passed all the guards, till they came to the seventh door: it
was that of the great pavilion, wherein was the King’s throne, and it
communicated with the chambers of his women and the saloons of the
Harim, as well as with his daughter’s pavilion. So the old woman halted
and said, “Here we are, O my son, and glory be to Him who hath brought
us thus far in safety! But, O my son, we cannot foregather with the
Princess except by night; for night enveileth the fearful.” He replied,
“True, but what is to be done?” Quoth she, “Hide thee in this black
hole,” showing him behind the door a dark and deep cistern, with a
cover thereto. So he entered the cistern, and she went away and left
him there till ended day, when she returned and carried him into the
palace, till they came to the door of Hayat al-Nufus’s apartment. The
old woman knocked and a little maid came out and said, “Who is at the
door?” Said the nurse, “’Tis I,” whereupon the maid returned and craved
permission of her lady, who said, “Open to her and let her come in with
any who may accompany her.” So they entered and the nurse, casting a
glance around, perceived that the Princess had made ready the
sitting-chamber and ranged the lamps in row and lighted candles of wax
in chandeliers of gold and silver and spread the divans and estrades
with carpets and cushions. Moreover, she had set on trays of food and
fruits and confections and she had perfumed the place with musk and
aloes-wood and ambergris. She was seated among the lamps and the tapers
and the light of her face outshone the lustre of them all. When she saw
the old woman, she said to her, “O nurse, where is the beloved of my
heart?”; and the other replied, “O my lady, I cannot find him nor have
mine eyes espied him, but I have brought thee his own sister; and here
she is.” Cried the Princess, “Art thou Jinn-mad? What need have I of
his sister? Say me, an a man’s head irk him, doth he bind up his hand?”
The old woman answered, “No, by Allah, O my lady! But look on her, and
if she pleases thee, let her be with thee.” Then she uncovered the
Prince’s face, whereupon Hayat al-Nufus knew him and running to him,
pressed him to her bosom, and he pressed her to his breast. Then they
both fell down in a swoon and lay without sense a long while. The old
woman sprinkled rose-water upon them till they came to themselves, when
she kissed him on the mouth more than a thousand times and improvised
these couplets,
“Sought me this heart’s dear love at gloom of night; * I rose
in honour till he sat forthright,
And said, ‘O aim of mine, O sole desire * In such night-visit
hast of guards no fright?’
Replied he, ‘Yes, I fearèd much, but Love * Robbed me of all
my wits and reft my sprite.’
We clipt with kisses and awhile clung we, * For here ’twas
safe; nor feared we watchman-wight:
Then rose we parting without doubtful deed * And shook out
skirts where none a stain could sight.”
——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when her lover
visited Hayat al-Nufus in her palace, the twain embraced and she
improvised some happy couplets beseeming the occasion. And when she had
ended her extempore lines she said, “Is it indeed true that I see thee
in my abode and that thou art my cup-mate and my familiar?” Then
passion grew on her and love was grievous to her, so that her reason
well-nigh fled for joy and she improvised these couplets,
“With all my soul I’ll ransom him who came to me in gloom * Of
night, whilst I had waited long to see his figure loom;
And naught aroused me save his weeping voice of tender tone *
And whispered I, ‘Fair fall thy foot and welcome and well
come!’
His cheek I kissed a thousand times, and yet a thousand more;
* Then clipt and clung about his breast enveiled in
darkling room.
And cried, ‘Now verily I’ve won the aim of every wish * So
praise and prayers to Allah for this grace now best
become.’
Then slept we even as we would the goodliest of nights * Till
morning came to end our night and light up earth with
bloom.”
As soon as it was day, she made him enter a place in her apartment
unknown to any and he abode there till nightfall, when she brought him
out and they sat in converse and carouse. Presently he said to her, “I
wish to return to my own country and tell my father what hath passed
between us, that he may equip his Wazir to demand thee in marriage of
thy sire.” She replied, “O my love, I fear, an thou return to thy
country and kingdom, thou wilt be distracted from me and forget the
love of me; or that thy father will not further thy wishes in this
matter and I shall die. Meseems the better rede were that thou abide
with me and in my hand-grasp, I looking on thy face, and thou on mine,
till I devise some plan, whereby we may escape together some night and
flee to thy country; for I have cut off my hopes from my own people and
I despair of them.” He rejoined, “I hear and obey;” and they fell again
to their carousal and conversing. He tarried with her thus for some
time till, one night, the wine was pleasant to them and they lay not
down nor did they sleep till break of day. Now it chanced that one of
the Kings sent her father a present, and amongst other things, a
necklace of union jewels, nine-and-twenty grains, to whose price a
King’s treasures might not suffice. Quoth Abd al-Kadir, “This rivière
beseemeth none but my daughter Hayat al-Nufus;” and, turning to an
eunuch, whose jaw-teeth the Princess had knocked out for reasons best
known to herself,[FN#296] he called to him and said, “Carry the
necklace to thy lady and say to her, ‘One of the Kings hath sent thy
father this, as a present, and its price may not be paid with money;
put it on thy neck.’” The slave took the necklace, saying in himself,
“Allah Almighty make it the last thing she shall put on in this world,
for that she deprived me of the benefit of my grinder-teeth!”; and
repairing to the Princess’s apartment, found the door locked and the
old woman asleep before the threshold. He shook her, and she awoke in
affright and asked, “What dost thou want?”; to which he answered, “The
King hath sent me on an errand to his daughter.” Quoth the nurse, “The
key is not here, go away, whilst I fetch it;” but quoth he, “I cannot
go back to the King without having done his commandment.” So she went
away, as if to fetch the key; but fear overtook her and she sought
safety in flight. Then the eunuch awaited her awhile; then, finding she
did not return, he feared that the King would be angry at his delay; so
he rattled at the door and shook it, whereupon the bolt gave way and
the leaf opened. He entered and passed on, till he came to the seventh
door and walking in to the Princess’s chamber found the place
splendidly furnished and saw candles and flagons there. At this
spectacle he marvelled and going close up to the bed, which was
curtained by a hanging of silk, embroidered with a net-work of jewels,
drew back the curtain from before the Princess and saw her sleeping
with her arms about the neck of a young man handsomer than herself;
whereat he magnified Allah Almighty, who had created such a youth of
vile water, and said, “How goodly be this fashion for one who hateth
men! How came she by this fellow? Methinks ’twas on his account that
she knocked out my back teeth!” Then he drew the curtain and made for
the door; but the King’s daughter awoke in affright and seeing the
eunuch, whose name was Káfúr, called to him. He made her no answer: so
she came down from the bed on the estrade; and catching hold of his
skirt laid it on her head and kissed his feet, saying, “Veil what Allah
veileth!” Quoth he, “May Allah not veil thee nor him who would veil
thee! Thou didst knock out my grinders and saidst to me, ‘Let none make
mention to me aught of men and their ways!’” So saying, he disengaged
himself from her grasp and running out, locked the door on them and set
another eunuch to guard it. Then he went in to the King who said to him
“Hast thou given the necklace to Hayat al-Nufus?” The eunuch replied,
“By Allah, thou deservest altogether a better fate;” and the King
asked, “What hath happened? Tell me quickly;” whereto he answered, “I
will not tell thee, save in private and between our eyes,” but the King
retorted, saying, “Tell me at once and in public.” Cried the eunuch,
“Then grant me immunity.” So the King threw him the kerchief of
immunity and he said, “O King, I went into the Princess Hayat al-Nufus
and found her asleep in a carpeted chamber and on her bosom was a young
man. So I locked the door upon the two and came back to thee.” When the
King heard these words he started up and taking a sword in his hand,
cried out to the Rais of the eunuchs, saying, “Take thy lads and go to
the Princess’s chamber and bring me her and him who is with her as they
twain lie on the bed; but cover them both up.”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King
commanded the head eunuch to take his lads and to fetch and set before
him Hayat al-Nufus and him who was with her, the chief and his men
entered the Princess’s apartment where he found her standing up,
dissolved in railing tears, and the Prince by her side; so he said to
them, “Lie down on the bed, as thou wast and let him do likewise.” The
King’s daughter feared for her lover[FN#297] and said to him, “This is
no time for resistance.” So they both lay down and the eunuchs covered
them up and carried the twain into the King’s presence. Thereupon Abd
al-Kadir pulled off the coverings and the Princess sprang to her feet.
He looked at her and would have smitten her neck: but the Prince threw
himself on the father’s breast, saying, “The fault was not hers but
mine only: kill me before thou killest her.” The King made at him, to
cut him down, but Hayat al-Nufus cast herself on her father and said,
“Kill me not him; for he is the son of a great King, lord of all the
land in its length and breadth.” When the King heard this, he turned to
the Chief Wazir, who was a gathering-place of all that is evil, and
said to him, “What sayst thou of this matter, O Minister?” Quoth his
Wazir, “What I say is that all who find themselves in such case as this
have need of lying, and there is nothing for it but to cut off both
their heads, after torturing them with all manner of tortures.”
Hereupon the King called his sworder of vengeance, who came with his
lads, and said to him, “Take this gallows-bird and strike off his head
and after do the like with this harlot and burn their bodies, and
consult me not about them a second time.” So the headsmen put his hand
to her back, to take her; but the King cried out at him and cast at him
somewhat he hent in hand, which had well-nigh killed him, saying, “O
dog, how durst thou show ruth to those with whom I am wroth? Put thy
hand to her hair and drag her along by it, so that she may fall on her
face.” Accordingly he haled her by her hair and the Prince in like
manner to the place of blood, where he tore off a piece of his skirt
and therewith bound the Prince’s eyes putting the Princess last, in the
hope that some one would intercede for her. Then, having made ready the
Prince he swung his sharp sword three times (whilst all the troops wept
and prayed Allah to send them deliverance by some intercessor), and
raised his hand to cut off Ardashir’s head when, behold, there arose a
cloud of dust, that spread and flew till it veiled the view. Now the
cause thereof was that when the young Prince had delayed beyond
measure, the King, his sire, had levied a mighty host and had marched
with it in person to get tidings of his son. Such was his case; but as
regards King Abd al-Kadir, when he saw this, he said, “O wights, what
is the meaning of yonder dust that dimmeth sights?” The Grand Wazir
sprang up and went out to reconnoitre and found behind the cloud men
like locusts, of whom no count could be made nor aught avail of aid,
filling the hills and plains and valleys. So he returned with the
report to the King, who said to him, “Go down and learn for us what may
be this host and the cause of its marching upon our country. Ask also
of their commander and salute him for me and enquire the reason of his
coming. An he came in quest of aught, we will aid him, and if he have a
blood-feud with one of the Kings, we will ride with him; or, if he
desire a gift, we will handsel him; for this is indeed a numerous host
and a power uttermost, and we fear for our land from its mischief.” So
the Minister went forth and walked among the tents and troopers and
body-guards, and ceased not faring on from the first of the day till
near sundown, when he came to the warders with gilded swords in tents
star-studded. Passing these, he made his way through Emirs and Wazirs
and Nabobs and Chamberlains, to the pavilion of the Sultan, and found
him a mighty King. When the King’s officers saw him, they cried out to
him, saying, “Kiss ground! Kiss ground!”[FN#298] He did so and would
have risen, but they cried out at him a second and a third time. So he
kissed the earth again and again and raised his head and would have
stood up, but fell down at full length for excess of awe. When at last
he was set between the hands of the King he said to him, “Allah prolong
thy days and increase thy sovranty and exalt thy rank, O thou
auspicious King! And furthermore, of a truth, King Abd al-Kadir
saluteth thee and kisseth the earth before thee and asketh on what
weighty business thou art come. An thou seek to avenge thee for blood
on any King, he will take horse in thy service; or, an thou come in
quest of aught, wherein it is in his power to help thee, he standeth up
at thy service on account thereof.” So Ardashir’s father replied to the
Wazir, saying, “O messenger, return to thy lord and tell him that the
most mighty King Sayf al-A’azam Shah, Lord of Shiraz, had a son who
hath been long absent from him and news of him have not come and all
traces of him have been cut off. An he be in this city, he will take
him and depart from you; but, if aught have befallen him or any
mischief have ensued to him from you, his father will lay waste your
land and make spoil of your goods and slay your men and seize your
women. Return, therefore, to thy lord in haste and tell him this, ere
evil befal him.” Answered the Minister, “To hear is to obey!” and
turned to go away, when the Chamberlains cried out to him, saying,
“Kiss ground! Kiss ground!” So he kissed the ground a score of times
and rose not till his life-breath was in his nostrils.[FN#299] Then he
left the King’s high court and returned to the city, full of anxious
thought concerning the affair of this King and the multitude of his
troops, and going in to King Abd al-Kadir, pale with fear and trembling
in his side-muscles, acquainted him with that had befallen him;——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir
returned from the court of the Great King, pale with fear and with
side-muscles quivering for dread exceeding; and acquainted his lord
with that had befallen him. Hereat disquietude and terror for himself
and for his people laid hold upon him and he said to the Minister, “O
Wazir, and who is this King’s son?” Replied the other, “’Tis even he
whom thou badest put to death, but praised be Allah who hastened not
his slaughter! Else had his father wasted our lands and spoiled our
good.” Quoth the King “See now thy corrupt judgment, in that thou didst
counsel us to slay him! Where is the young man, the son of yonder
magnanimous King?” And quoth the Wazir, “O mighty King, thou didst
command him be put to death.” When the King heard this, he was clean
distraught and cried out from his heart’s core and in-most of head,
saying, “Woe to you! Fetch me the Headsman forthright, lest death fall
on him!” So they fetched the Sworder and he said, “O King of the Age, I
have smitten off his head even as thou badest me.” Cried Abd al-Kadir
“O dog, an this be true, I will assuredly send thee after him.” The
Headsman replied, “O King, thou didst command me to slay him without
consulting thee a second time.” Said the King, “I was in my wrath; but
speak the truth, ere thou lose thy life;” and said the Sworder, “O
King, he is yet in the chains of life.” At this Abd al-Kadir rejoiced
and his heart was set at rest; then he called for Ardashir, and when he
came, he stood up to receive him and kissed his mouth, saying, “O my
son, I ask pardon of Allah Almighty for the wrong I have done thee, and
say thou not aught that may lower my credit with thy sire, the Great
King.” The Prince asked “O King of the Age, and where is my father?”
and the other answered, “He is come hither on thine account.” Thereupon
quoth Ardashir, “By thy worship, I will not stir from before thee till
I have cleared my honour and the honour of thy daughter from that which
thou laidest to our charge; for she is a pure virgin. Send for the
midwives and let them examine her before thee. An they find her
maidenhead gone, I give thee leave to shed my blood; and if they find
her a clean maid, her innocence of dishonour and mine also will be made
manifest.” So he summoned the midwives, who examined the Princess and
found her a pure virgin and so told the King, seeking largesse of him.
He gave them what they sought, putting off his royal robes to bestow on
them, and in like manner he was bountiful to all who were in the Harim.
And they brought forth the scent-cups and perfumed all the Lords of
estate and Grandees; and not one but rejoiced with exceeding joy. Then
the King threw his arms about Ardashir’s neck and entreated him with
all worship and honour, bidding his chief eunuchs bear him to the bath.
When he came out, he cast over his shoulders a costly robe and crowned
him with a coronet of jewels; he also girt him with a girdle of silk,
purfled with red gold and set with pearls and gems, and mounted him on
one of his noblest mares, with selle and trappings of gold inlaid with
pearls and jewels. Then he bade his Grandees and Captains mount on his
service and escort him to his father’s presence; and charged him tell
his sire that King Abd al-Kadir was at his disposal, hearkening to and
obeying him in whatso he should bid or forbid. “I will not fail of
this,” answered Ardashir and farewelling him, repaired to his father
who, at sight of him, was transported for delight and springing up,
advanced to meet him and embraced him, whilst joy and gladness spread
among all the host of the Great King. Then came the Wazirs and
Chamberlains and Captains and guards and kissed the ground before the
Prince and rejoiced in his coming: and it was a great day with them for
enjoyment, for the King’s son gave leave to those of King Abd
al-Kadir’s officers who had accompanied him and others of the
townsfolk, to view the ordinance of his father’s host, without let or
stay, so they might know the multitude of the Great King’s troops and
the might of his empire. And all who had seen him selling stuffs in the
linendrapers’ bazar marvelled how his soul could have consented
thereto, considering the nobility of his spirit and the loftiness of
his dignity; but it was his love and inclination to the King’s daughter
that to this had constrained him. Meanwhile, news of the multitude of
her lover’s troops came to Hayat al-Nufus, who was still jailed by her
sire’s commandment, till they knew what he should order respecting her,
whether pardon and release or death and burning; and she looked down
from the terrace-roof of the palace and, turning towards the mountains,
saw even these covered with armed men. When she beheld all those
warriors and knew that they were the army of Ardashir’s father, she
feared lest he should be diverted from her by his sire and forget her
and depart from her, whereupon her father would slay her. So she called
a handmaid that was with her in her apartment by way of service, and
said to her, “Go to Ardashir, son of the Great King, and fear not. When
thou comest into his presence, kiss the ground before him and tell him
what thou art and say to him, ‘My lady saluteth thee and would have
thee to know that she is a prisoner in her father’s palace, awaiting
his sentence, whether he be minded to pardon her or put her to death,
and she beseecheth thee not to forget her or forsake her; for to-day
thou art all-powerful; and, in whatso thou commandest, no man dare
cross thee. Wherefore, an it seem good to thee to rescue her from her
sire and take her with thee, it were of thy bounty, for indeed she
endureth all these trials for thy sake. But, an this seem not good to
thee, for that thy desire of her is at an end, still speak to thy sire,
so haply he may intercede for her with her father and he depart not,
till he have made him set her free and taken surety from and made
covenant with him, that he will not go about to put her to death nor
work her aught of harm. This is her last word to thee, may Allah not
desolate her of thee, and so The Peace!’”[FN#300]——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the bondmaid
sent by Hayat al-Nufus made her way to Ardashir and delivered him her
lady’s message, which when he heard, he wept with sore weeping and said
to her, “Know that Hayat al-Nufus is my mistress and that I am her
slave and the captive of her love. I have not forgotten what was
between us nor the bitterness of the parting day; so do thou say to
her, after thou hast kissed her feet, that I will speak with my father
of her, and he shall send his Wazir, who sought her aforetime in
marriage for me, to demand her hand once more of her sire, for he dare
not refuse. So, if he send to her to consult her, let her make no
opposition; for I will not return to my country without her.” Then the
handmaid returned to Hayat al-Nufus; and, kissing her hands, delivered
to her the message, which when she heard, she wept for very joy and
returned thanks to Almighty Allah. Such was her case; but as regards
Ardashir, he was alone with his father that night and the Great King
questioned him of his case, whereupon he told him all that had befallen
him, first and last. Then quoth the King, “What wilt thou have me do
for thee, O my son? An thou desire Abd al-Kadir’s ruin, I will lay
waste his lands and spoil his hoards and dishonour his house.” Replied
Ardashir, “I do not desire that, O my father, for he hath done nothing
to me deserving thereof; but I wish for union with her; wherefore I
beseech thee of thy favour to make ready a present for her father (but
let it be a magnificent gift!) and send it to him by thy Minister, the
man of just judgment.” Quoth the King, “I hear and consent;” and
sending for the treasures he had laid up from time past, brought out
all manner precious things and showed them to his son, who was pleased
with them. Then he called his Wazir and bade him bear the present with
him[FN#301] to King Abd al-Kadir and demand his daughter in marriage
for Ardashir, saying, “Accept the present and return him a reply.” Now
from the time of Ardashir’s departure, King Abd al-Kadir had been
troubled and ceased not to be heavy at heart, fearing the laying waste
of his reign and the spoiling of his realm; when behold, the Wazir came
in to him and saluting him, kissed ground before him. He rose up
standing and received him with honour; but the Minister made haste to
fall at his feet and kissing them cried, “Pardon, O King of the Age!
The like of thee should not rise to the like of me, for I am the least
of servants’ slaves. Know, O King, that Prince Ardashir hath acquainted
his father with some of the favours and kindnesses thou hast done him,
wherefore he thanketh thee and sendeth thee in company of thy servant
who standeth before thee, a present, saluting thee and wishing thee
especial blessings and prosperities.” Abd al-Kadir could not believe
what he heard of the excess of his fear, till the Wazir laid the
present before him, when he saw it to be such gift as no money could
purchase nor could one of the Kings of the earth avail to the like
thereof; wherefore he was belittled in his own eyes and springing to
his feet, praised Almighty Allah and glorified Him and thanked the
Prince. Then said the Minister to him, “O noble King, give ear to my
word and know that the Great King sendeth to thee, desiring thine
alliance, and I come to thee seeking and craving the hand of thy
daughter, the chaste dame and treasured gem Hayat al-Nufus, in wedlock
for his son Ardashir, wherefore, if thou consent to this proposal and
accept of him, do thou agree with me for her marriage-portion.” Abd
al-Kadir hearing these words replied, “I hear and obey. For my part, I
make no objection, and nothing can be more pleasurable to me; but the
girl is of full age and reason and her affair is in her own hand. So be
assured that I will refer it to her and she shall choose for herself.”
Then he turned to the chief eunuch and bade him go and acquaint the
Princess with the event. So he repaired to the Harim and, kissing the
Princess’s hands, acquainted her with the Great King’s offer adding,
“What sayest thou in answer?” “I hear and I obey,” replied she.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the chief
eunuch of the Harim having informed the Princess how she had been
demanded in marriage by the Great King and having heard her reply, “I
hear and I obey,” returned therewith to the King and gave him this
answer, whereat he rejoiced with exceeding joy and, calling for a
costly robe of honour, threw it over the Wazir’s shoulders.
Furthermore, he ordered him ten thousand dinars and bade him carry the
answer to the Great King and crave leave for him to pay him a visit.
“Hearing and obeying,” answered the Minister; and, returning to his
master, delivered him the reply and Abd al-Kadir’s message, and
repeated all their talk, whereat he rejoiced greatly and Ardashir was
transported for delight and his breast broadened and he was a most
happy man. King Sayf al-A’azam also gave King Abd al-Kadir leave to
come forth to visit him; so, on the morrow, he took horse and rode to
the camp of the Great King, who came to meet him and saluting him,
seated him in the place of honour, and gave him welcome; and they two
sat whilst Ardashir stood before them. Then arose an orator of the King
Abd al-Kadir’s court and pronounced an eloquent discourse, giving the
Prince joy of the attainment of his desire and of his marriage with the
Princess, a Queen among King’s daughters. When he sat down the Great
King caused bring a chest full of pearls and gems, together with fifty
thousand dinars, and said to King Abd al-Kadir, “I am my son’s deputy
in all that concerneth this matter.” So Abd al-Kadir acknowledged
receipt of the marriage-portion and amongst the rest, fifty thousand
dinars for the nuptial festivities; after which they fetched the Kazis
and the witnesses, who wrote out the contract of marriage between the
Prince and Princess, and it was a notable day, wherein all lovers made
merry and all haters and enviers were mortified. They spread the
marriage-feasts and banquets and lastly Ardashir went in unto the
Princess and found her a jewel which had been hidden, an union pearl
unthridden and a filly that none but he had ridden, so he notified this
to his sire. Then King Sayf al-A’azam asked his son, “Hast thou any
wish thou wouldst have fulfilled ere we depart?”; and he answered,
“Yes, O King, know that I would fain take my wreak of the Wazir who
entreated us on evil wise and the eunuch who forged a lie against us.”
So the King sent forthright to Abd al-Kadir, demanding of him the
Minister and the castrato, whereupon he despatched them both to him and
he commanded to hang them over the city-gate. After this, they abode a
little while and then sought of Abd al-Kadir leave for his daughter to
equip her for departure. So he equipped her and mounted her in a
Takhtrawán, a travelling litter of red gold, inlaid with pearls and
gems and drawn by noble steeds. She carried with her all her
waiting-women and eunuchs, as well as the nurse, who had returned,
after her flight, and resumed her office. Then King Sayf al-A’azam and
his son mounted and Abd al-Kadir mounted also with all the lords of his
land, to take leave of his son-in-law and daughter; and it was a day to
be reckoned of the goodliest of days. After they had gone some
distance, the Great King conjured Abd al-Kadir to turn back; so he
farewelled him and his son, after he had strained him to his breast and
kissed him between the eyes and thanked him for his grace and favours
and commended his daughter to his care. Then he went in to the Princess
and embraced her; and she kissed his hands and they wept in the
standing-place of parting. After this he returned to his capital and
Ardashir and his company fared on, till they reached Shiraz, where they
celebrated the marriage-festivities anew. And they abode in all
comfort and solace and joyance of life, till there came to them the
Destroyer of delights and Severer of societies; the Depopulator of
palaces and the Garnerer of graveyards. And men also relate the tale of