When it was eventide, the king caused avoid his sitting chamber
and summoned the vizier, who presented himself and making his
obeisance to the king, kissed the earth before him and bespoke
him as follows:
STORY OF THE MAN OF KHORASSAN, HIS SON AND
HIS GOVERNOR.
"There was once a man of Khorassan and he had a son, whose
improvement he ardently desired; but the young man sought to be
alone and to remove himself from his father's eye, so he might
give himself up to pleasance and delight. So he sought of his
father [leave to make] the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God
and to visit the tomb of the Prophet (whom God bless and keep!).
Now between them and Mecca was a journey of five hundred
parasangs; but his father could not gainsay him, for that the law
of God made this[FN#178] incumbent on him and because of that
which he hoped for him of improvement [therefrom]. So he joined
unto him a governor, in whom he trusted, and gave him much money
and took leave of him. The son set out on the holy
pilgrimage[FN#179] with the governor and abode on that wise,
spending freely and using not thrift.
Now there was in his neighbourhood a poor man, who had a
slave-girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness, and the youth
became enamoured of her and suffered grief and concern for the
love of her and her loveliness, so that he was like to perish for
passion; and she also loved him with a love yet greater than his
love for her. So she called an old woman who used to visit her
and acquainted her with her case, saying, 'An I foregather not
with him, I shall die.' The old woman promised her that she would
do her endeavour to bring her to her desire; so she veiled
herself and repairing to the young man, saluted him and
acquainted him with the girl's case, saying, 'Her master is a
covetous man; so do thou invite him [to thy lodging] and tempt
him with money, and he will sell thee the damsel.'
Accordingly, he made a banquet, and stationing himself in the
man's way, invited him and carried him to his house, where they
sat down and ate and drank and abode in discourse. Presently, the
young man said to the other, 'I hear that thou hast with thee a
slave-girl, whom thou desirest to sell.' And he answered, saying,
'By Allah, O my lord, I have no mind to sell her!' Quoth the
youth, 'I hear that she cost thee a thousand dinars, and I will
give thee six hundred, to boot.' And the other said, 'I sell her
to thee [at that price].' So they fetched notaries, who drew up
the contract of sale, and the young man counted out to the girl's
master half the purchase money, saying, 'Let her be with thee
till I complete to thee the rest of the price and take my
slave-girl.' The other consented to this and took of him a bond
for the rest of the money, and the girl abode with her master, on
deposit.
As for the youth, he gave his governor a thousand dirhems and
despatched him to his father, to fetch money from him, so he
might pay the rest of the girl's price, saying to him, 'Be not
[long] absent.' But the governor said in himself, 'How shall I go
to his father and say to him, "Thy son hath wasted thy money and
wantoned it away"?[FN#180] With what eye shall I look on him, and
indeed, I am he in whom he confided and to whom he hath entrusted
his son? Indeed, this were ill seen. Nay, I will fare on to the
pilgrimage[FN#181] [with the caravan of pilgrims], in despite of
this fool of a youth; and when he is weary [of waiting], he will
demand back the money [he hath already paid] and return to his
father, and I shall be quit of travail and reproach.' So he went
on with the caravan to the pilgrimage[FN#182] and took up his
abode there.
Meanwhile, the youth abode expecting his governor's return, but
he returned not; wherefore concern and chagrin waxed upon him,
because of his mistress, and his longing for her redoubled and he
was like to slay himself. She became aware of this and sent him a
messenger, bidding him to her. So he went to her and she
questioned him of the case; whereupon he told her what was to do
of the matter of his governor, and she said to him, 'With me is
longing the like of that which is with thee, and I misdoubt me
thy messenger hath perished or thy father hath slain him; but I
will give thee all my trinkets and my clothes, and do thou sell
them and pay the rest of my price, and we will go, I and thou, to
thy father.'
So she gave him all that she possessed and he sold it and paid
the rest of her price; after which there remained to him a
hundred dirhems. These he spent and lay that night with the
damsel in all delight of life, and his soul was like to fly for
joy; but when he arose in the morning, he sat weeping and the
damsel said to him, 'What aileth thee to weep?' And he said, 'I
know not if my father be dead, and he hath none other heir but
myself; and how shall I win to him, seeing I have not a dirhem?'
Quoth she, 'I have a bracelet; do thou sell it and buy small
pearls with the price. Then bray them and fashion them into great
pearls, and thereon thou shalt gain much money, wherewith we may
make our way to thy country.' So he took the bracelet and
repairing to a goldsmith, said to him, 'Break up this bracelet
and sell it.' But he said, 'The king seeketh a good[FN#183]
bracelet; I will go to him and bring thee the price thereof.' So
he carried the bracelet to the Sultan and it pleased him greatly,
by reason of the goodliness of its workmanship. Then he called an
old woman, who was in his palace, and said to her, 'Needs must I
have the mistress of this bracelet, though but for a single
night, or I shall die.' And the old woman answered, 'I will bring
her to thee.'
So she donned a devotee's habit and betaking herself to the
goldsmith, said to him, 'To whom belongeth the bracelet that is
in the king's hand?' Quoth he, 'It belongeth to a man, a
stranger, who hath bought him a slave-girl from this city and
lodgeth with her in such a place.' So the old woman repaired to
the young man's house and knocked at the door. The damsel opened
to her and seeing her clad in devotee's apparel,[FN#184] saluted
her and said to her, ' Belike thou hast an occasion with us?'
'Yes,' answered the old woman; 'I desire privacy and
ablution.'[FN#185] Quoth the girl, 'Enter.' So she entered and
did her occasion and made the ablution and prayed. Then she
brought out a rosary and began to tell her beads thereon, and the
damsel said to her, 'Whence comest thou, O pilgrim?'[FN#186]
Quoth she '[I come] from [visiting] the Idol[FN#187] of the
Absent in such a church.[FN#188] There standeth up no woman [to
prayer] before him, who hath an absent friend and discovereth to
him her need, but he acquainteth her with her case and giveth her
tidings of her absent one.' 'O pilgrim,' said the damsel, 'we
have an absent one, and my lord's heart cleaveth to him and I
desire to go to the idol and question him of him.' Quoth the old
woman, '[Wait] till to-morrow and ask leave of thy husband, and I
will come to thee and go with thee in weal.'
Then she went away, and when the girl's master came, she sought
his leave to go with the old woman and he granted her leave. So
the beldam took her and carried her to the king's door. The
damsel entered with her, unknowing whither she went, and beheld a
goodly house and chambers adorned [with gold and colours] that
were no idol's chambers. Then came the king and seeing her beauty
and grace, went up to her, to kiss her; whereupon she fell down
in a fit and strove with her hands and feet. When he saw this, he
was solicitous for her and held aloof from her and left her; but
the thing was grievous to her and she refused meat and drink, and
as often as the king drew near her, she fled from him in
affright, wherefore he swore by Allah that he would not approach
her, save with her consent, and fell to guerdoning her with
trinkets and raiment, but she only redoubled in aversion to him.
Meanwhile, the youth her master abode expecting her; but she
returned not and his heart forbode him of the draught [of
separation]; so he went forth at hazard, distraught and knowing
not what he should do, and fell to strewing dust upon his head
and crying out, 'The old woman hath taken her and gone away!' The
boys followed him with stones and pelted him, saying, 'A madman!
A madman!' Presently, the king's chamberlain, who was a man of
age and worth, met him, and when he saw his youth, he forbade the
boys and drove there away from him, after which he accosted him
and questioned him of his case. So he told him how it was with
him and the chamberlain said to him, 'Fear not: all shall yet be
well with thee. I will deliver thy slave-girl for thee: so calm
thy trouble.' And he went on to speak him fair and comfort him,
till he put faith in his speech.
Then he carried him to his house and stripping him of his
clothes, clad him in rags; after which he called an old woman,
who was his stewardess, and said to her. 'Take this youth and
clap on his neck this iron chain and go round about with him in
all the thoroughfares of the city; and when thou hast made an end
of this, go up with him to the palace of the king.' And he said
to the youth, 'In whatsoever place thou seest the damsel, speak
not a syllable, but acquaint me with her place and thou shall owe
her deliverance to none but me.' The youth thanked him and went
with the old woman on such wise as the chamberlain bade him. She
fared on with him till they entered the city [and made the round
thereof]; after which she went up to the palace of the king and
fell to saying, 'O people of affluence, look on a youth whom the
devils take twice in the day and pray for preservation from [a
like] affliction!' And she ceased not to go round about with him
till she came to the eastern wing[FN#189] of the palace,
whereupon the slave-girls came out to look upon him and when they
saw him they were amazed at his beauty and grace and wept for
him.
Then they told the damsel, who came forth and looked upon him and
knew him not. But he knew her; so he bowed his head and wept. She
was moved to compassion for him and gave him somewhat and
returned to her place, whilst the youth returned with the
stewardess to the chamberlain and told him that she was in the
king's house, whereat he was chagrined and said, 'By Allah, I
will assuredly contrive a device for her and deliver her!'
Whereupon the youth kissed his hands and feet. Then he turned to
the old woman and bade her change her apparel and her favour. Now
this old woman was goodly of speech and nimble of wit; so he gave
her costly and delicious perfumes and said to her, 'Get thee to
the king's slave girls and sell them these [perfumes] and make
thy way to the damsel and question her if she desire her master
or not.' So the old woman went out and making her way to the
palace, went in to the damsel and drew near her and recited the
following verses:
God keep the days of love-delight! How dearly sweet they were!
How joyous and how solaceful was life in them whilere!
Would he were not who sundered us upon the parting day! How many
a body hath he slain, how many a bone laid bare?
Sans fault of mine, my blood and tears he shed and beggared me Of
him I love, yet for himself gained nought thereby whate'er.
When the damsel heard these verses, she wept till her clothes
were drenched and drew near the old woman, who said to her,
'Knowest thou such an one?' And wept and said, 'He is my lord.
Whence knowest thou him?' 'O my lady,' answered the old woman,
'sawst thou not the madman who came hither yesterday with the old
woman? He was thy lord. But this is no time for talk. When it is
night, get thee to the top of the palace [and wait] on the roof
till thy lord come to thee and contrive for thy deliverance.'
Then she gave her what she would of perfumes and returning to the
chamberlain, acquainted him with that which had passed, and he
told the youth.
When it was eventide, the chamberlain let bring two horses and
great store of water and victual and a saddle-camel and a man to
show them the way. These he hid without the town, whilst he and
the young man took with them a long rope, made fast to a staple,
and repaired to the palace. When they came thither, they looked
and beheld the damsel standing on the roof. So they threw her the
rope and the staple; whereupon she [made the latter fast to the
parapet and] wrapping her sleeves about her hands, slid down [the
rope] and landed with them. They carried her without the town,
where they mounted, she and her lord, and fared on, whilst the
guide forewent them, directing them in the way, and they gave not
over going night and day till they entered his father's house.
The young man saluted his father, who rejoiced in him, and he
related to him all that had befallen him, whereupon he rejoiced
in his safety.
As for the governor, he wasted all that was with him and returned
to the city, where he saw the youth and excused himself to him.
Then he questioned him of what had befallen him and he told him,
whereat he marvelled and returned to companionship with him; but
the youth ceased to have regard for him and gave him not
stipends, as of his [former] wont, neither discovered to him
aught of his secrets. When the governor saw that there was no
profit for him with the young Khorassani, he returned to the
king, the ravisher of the damsel, and told him what the
chamberlain had done and counselled him to slay the latter and
incited him to recover the damsel, [promising] to give his friend
to drink of poison and return. So the king sent for the
chamberlain and upbraided him; whereupon he fell upon him and
slew him and the king's servants fell upon the chamberlain and
slew him.
Meanwhile, the governor returned to the youth, who questioned him
of his absence, and he told him that he had been in the city of
the king who had taken the damsel. When the youth heard this, he
misdoubted of the governor and never again trusted him in aught,
but was still on his guard against him. Then the governor made
great store of sweetmeats and put in them deadly poison and
presented them to the youth. When the latter saw the sweetmeats,
he said in himself, 'This is an extraordinary thing of the
governor! Needs must there be mischief in this sweetmeat, and I
will make proof of it upon himself.' So he made ready victual and
set on the sweetmeat amongst it and bade the governor to his
house and set food before him. He ate and amongst the rest, they
brought him the poisoned sweetmeat; so he ate thereof and died
forthright; whereby the youth knew that this was a plot against
himself and said, 'He who seeketh his fortune of his own
[unaided] might[FN#190] attaineth it not.' Nor (continued the
vizier) is this, O king of the age, more extraordinary than the
story of the druggist and his wife and the singer."
When King Shah Bekht heard his vizier's story, he gave him leave
to withdraw to his own house and he abode there the rest of the
night and the next day till the evening.