continued:—When I entered that saloon I saw a person seated on a couch
of Indian rattan, with ivory feet and before her a number of damsels.
When she saw me she rose to me and called me; so I went up to her and
she seated me by her side. Then she bade her slave-girls bring food, and
they brought all manner of rich meats, such as I never saw in all my
life; I do not even know the names of the dishes, much less their
nature. So I ate my fill and when the dishes had been taken away and we
had washed our hands, she called for fruits which came without stay or
delay and ordered me eat of them; and when we had ended eating she bade
one of the waiting-women bring the wine furniture. So they set on
flagons of divers kinds of wine and burned perfumes in all the censers,
what while a damsel like the moon rose and served us with wine to the
sound of the smitten strings; and I drank, and the lady drank, till we
were seized with wine and the whole time I doubted not but that all this
was an illusion of sleep. Presently, she signed to one of the damsels to
spread us a bed in such a place, which being done, she rose and took me
by the hand and led me thither, and lay down and I lay with her till the
morning, and as often as I pressed her to my breast I smelt the
delicious fragrance of musk and other perfumes that exhaled from her and
could not think otherwise but that I was in Paradise or in the vain
phantasies of a dream. Now when it was day, she asked me where I lodged
and I told her, “In such a place;” whereupon she gave me leave to
depart, handing to me a kerchief worked with gold and silver and
containing somewhat tied in it, and took leave of me, saying, “Go to the
bath with this.” I rejoiced and said to myself, “If there be but five
coppers here, it will buy me this day my morning meal.” Then I left her,
as though I were leaving Paradise, and returned to my poor crib where I
opened the kerchief and found in it fifty miskals of gold. So I buried
them in the ground and, buying two farthings’ worth of bread and
“kitchen,”[184] seated me at the door and broke my fast; after which I
sat pondering my case and continued so doing till the time of
afternoon-prayer, when lo! a slave-girl accosted me saying, “My mistress
calleth for thee.” I followed her to the house aforesaid and, after
asking permission, she carried me into the lady, before whom I kissed
the ground, and she commanded me to sit and called for meat and wine as
on the previous day; after which I again lay with her all night. On the
morrow, she gave me a second kerchief, with other fifty dinars therein,
and I took it and going home, buried this also. In such pleasant
condition I continued eight days running, going in to her at the hour of
afternoon-prayer and leaving her at daybreak; but, on the eighth night,
as I lay with her, behold, one of her slave-girls came running in and
said to me, “Arise, go up into yonder closet.” So I rose and went into
the closet, which was over the gate, and presently I heard a great
clamour and tramp of horse; and, looking out of the window which gave on
the street in front of the house, I saw a young man as he were the
rising moon on the night of fulness come riding up attended by a number
of servants and soldiers who were about him on foot. He alighted at the
door and entering the saloon found the lady seated on the couch; so he
kissed the ground between her hands then came up to her and kissed her
hands; but she would not speak to him. However, he continued patiently
to humble himself, and soothe her and speak her fair, till he made his
peace with her, and they lay together that night.——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the scavenger
continued:—Now when her husband had made his peace with the young lady,
he lay with her that night; and next morning, the soldiers came for him
and he mounted and rode away; whereupon she drew near to me and said,
“Sawst thou yonder man?” I answered, “Yes;” and she said, “He is my
husband, and I will tell thee what befel me with him. It came to pass
one day that we were sitting, he and I, in the garden within the house,
and behold, he rose from my side and was absent a long while, till I
grew tired of waiting and said to myself:—Most like, he is in the privy.
So I arose and went to the water-closet, but not finding him there, went
down to the kitchen, where I saw a slave-girl; and when I enquired for
him, she showed him to me lying with one of the cookmaids. Hereupon, I
swore a great oath that I assuredly would do adultery with the foulest
and filthiest man in Baghdad; and the day the eunuch laid hands on thee,
I had been four days going round about the city in quest of one who
should answer to this description, but found none fouler nor filthier
than thy good self. So I took thee and there passed between us that
which Allah fore-ordained to us; and now I am quit of my oath.” Then she
added, “If, however, my husband return yet again to the cookmaid and lie
with her, I will restore thee to thy lost place in my favours.” Now when
I heard these words from her lips, what while she pierced my heart with
the shafts of her glances, my tears streamed forth, till my eyelids were
chafed sore with weeping, and I repeated the saying of the poet:—
Grant me the kiss of that left hand ten times; ✿ And learn it hath than
right hand higher grade;[185]
For ‘tis but little since that same left hand ✿ Washed off Sir Reverence
when ablution made.
Then she made them give me other fifty dinars (making in all four
hundred gold pieces I had of her) and bade me depart. So I went out from
her and came hither, that I might pray Allah (extolled and exalted be
He!) to make her husband return to the cookmaid, that haply I might be
again admitted to her favours. When the Emir of the pilgrims heard the
man’s story, he set him free and said to the bystanders, “Allah upon
you, pray for him, for indeed he is excusable.” And men also tell the
tale of
-----
Footnote 182:
I have described this scene, the wretch clinging to the curtain and
sighing and crying as if his heart would break (Pilgrimage iii. 216
and 220). The same is done at the place Al-Multazam, “the attached
to;” (ibid. 156) and various spots called Al-Mustajáb, “where prayer
is granted” (ibid. 162). At Jerusalem the “Wailing place of the Jews”
shows queer scenes; the worshippers embrace the wall with a peculiar
wriggle crying out in Hebrew, “O build Thy House, soon, without
delay,” etc.
Footnote 183:
_i.e._ The wife. The scene in the text was common at Cairo twenty
years ago; and no one complained of the stick. See Pilgrimage i., 120.
Footnote 184:
Arab. “Udm, Udum” (plur. of Idám) = “relish,” olives, cheese, pickled
cucumbers, etc.
Footnote 185:
I have noticed how the left hand is used in the East. In the second
couplet we have “Istinjá” = washing the fundament after stool. The
lines are highly appropriate for a nightman. Easterns have many foul
but most emphatic expressions like those in the text: I have heard a
mother say to her brat, “I would eat thy merde!” (_i.e._ how I love
thee!)
THE MOCK CALIPH.
It is related that the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, was one night restless
with extreme restlessness, so he summoned his Wazir Ja’afar the
Barmecide, and said to him, “My breast is straitened and I have a desire
to divert myself to-night by walking about the streets of Baghdad and
looking into folks’ affairs; but with this precaution that we disguise
ourselves in merchants’ gear, so none shall know us.” He answered,
“Hearkening and obedience.” They rose at once and doffing the rich
raiment they wore, donned merchants’ habits and sallied forth three in
number, the Caliph, Ja’afar and Masrur the sworder. Then they walked
from place to place, till they came to the Tigris and saw an old man
sitting in a boat; so they went up to him and saluting him, said, “O
Shaykh, we desire thee of thy kindness and favour to carry us
a-pleasuring down the river, in this thy boat, and take this dinar to
thy hire.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when they said to
the old man, “We desire thee to carry us a-pleasuring in this thy boat
and take this dinar;” he answered, “Who may go a-pleasuring on the
Tigris? The Caliph Harun al-Rashid every night cometh down Tigris-stream
in his state-barge[186] and with him one crying aloud:—Ho, ye people
all, great and small, gentle and simple, men and boys, whoso is found in
a boat on the Tigris by night, I will strike off his head or hang him to
the mast of his craft! And ye had well nigh met him; for here cometh his
carrack.” But the Caliph and Ja’afar said, “O Shaykh, take these two
dinars, and run us under one of yonder arches, that we may hide there
till the Caliph’s barge have passed.” The old man replied, “Hand over
your gold and rely we on Allah, the Almighty!” So he took the two dinars
and embarked them in the boat; and he put off and rowed about with them
awhile, when behold, the barge came down the river in mid-stream, with
lighted flambeaux and cressets flaming therein. Quoth the old man, “Did
not I tell you that the Caliph passed along the river every night?”; and
ceased not muttering, “O Protector, remove not the veils of Thy
protection!” Then he ran the boat under an arch and threw a piece of
black cloth over the Caliph and his companions, who looked out from
under the covering and saw, in the bows of the barge, a man holding in
hand a cresset of red gold which he fed with Sumatran lign-aloes and the
figure was clad in a robe of red satin, with a narrow turband of Mosul
shape round on his head; and over one of his shoulders hung a sleeved
cloak[187] of cramoisy satin, and on the other was a green silk bag full
of the aloes-wood, with which he fed the cresset by way of fire-wood.
And they sighted in the stern another man, clad like the first and
bearing a like cresset, and in the barge were two hundred white slaves,
standing ranged to the right and left; and in the middle a throne of red
gold, whereon sat a handsome young man, like the moon, clad in a dress
of black, embroidered with yellow gold. Before him they beheld a man, as
he were the Wazir Ja’afar, and at his head stood an eunuch, as he were
Masrur, with a drawn sword in his hand; besides a score of
cup-companions. Now when the Caliph saw this, he turned and said, “O
Ja’afar,” and the Minister replied, “At thy service, O Prince of True
Believers.” Then quoth the Caliph, “Belike this is one of my sons,
Al-Amin or Al-Maamun.” Then he examined the young man who sat on the
throne and finding him perfect in beauty and loveliness and stature and
symmetric grace, said to Ja’afar, “Verily, this young man abateth nor
jot nor tittle of the state of the Caliphate! See, there standeth before
him one as he were thyself, O Ja’afar; yonder eunuch who standeth at his
head is as he were Masrur and those courtiers as they were my own. By
Allah, O Ja’afar, my reason is confounded and I am filled with amazement
at this matter!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Caliph
saw this spectacle his reason was confounded and he cried, “By Allah, I
am filled with amazement at this matter!” and Ja’afar replied, “And I
also, by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful.” Then the barge passed on
and disappeared from sight; whereupon the boatman pushed out again into
the stream, saying, “Praised be Allah for safety, since none hath fallen
in with us!” Quoth the Caliph, “O, old man, doth the Caliph come down
the Tigris-river every night?” The boatman answered, “Yes, O my lord;
and on such wise hath he done every night this year past.” “O Shaykh,”
rejoined Al-Rashid, “we wish thee of thy favour to await us here
to-morrow night and we will give thee five golden dinars, for we are
stranger folk, lodging in the quarter Al-Khandak, and we have a mind to
divert ourselves.” Said the oldster, “With joy and good will!” Then the
Caliph and Ja’afar and Masrur left the boatman and returned to the
palace, where they doffed their merchants’ habits and, donning their
apparel of state, sat down each in his several stead; and came the Emirs
and Wazirs and Chamberlains and Officers; and the Divan assembled and
was crowded as of custom. But when day ended and all the folk had
dispersed and wended each his own way, the Caliph said to his Wazir,
“Rise, O Ja’afar, let us go and amuse ourselves by looking on the second
Caliph.” At this, Ja’afar and Masrur laughed, and the three, donning
merchants’ habits, went forth by a secret postern and made their way
through the city, in great glee, till they came to the Tigris, where
they found the greybeard sitting and awaiting them. They embarked with
him in the boat and hardly had they sat down before up came the mock
Caliph’s barge; and, when they looked at it attentively, they saw
therein two hundred Mamelukes other than those of the previous night,
while the link-bearers cried aloud as of wont. Quoth the Caliph, “O
Wazir, had I heard tell of this, I had not believed it; but I have seen
it with my own sight.” Then said he to the boatman, “Take, O Shaykh,
these ten dinars and row us along abreast of them, for they are in the
light and we in the shade, and we can see them and amuse ourselves by
looking on them, but they cannot see us.” So the man took the money and
pushing off ran abreast of them in the shadow of the barge——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King that the Caliph Harun
al-Rashid said to the old man, “Take these ten dinars and row us abreast
of them;” to which he replied, “I hear and I obey.” And he fared with
them and ceased not going in the blackness of the barge, till they came
amongst the gardens that lay alongside of them and sighted a large
walled enclosure; and presently, the barge cast anchor before a postern
door, where they saw servants standing with a she-mule saddled and
bridled. Here the mock Caliph landed and, mounting the mule, rode away
with his courtiers and his cup-companions preceded by the
cresset-bearers crying aloud, and followed by his household which busied
itself in his service. Then Harun al-Rashid, Ja’afar and Masrur landed
also and, making their way through the press of servants, walked on
before them. Presently, the cresset-bearers espied them and seeing three
persons in merchants’ habits, and strangers to the country, took offence
at them; so they pointed them out and brought them before the other
Caliph, who looked at them and asked, “How came ye to this place and who
brought you at this tide?” They answered, “O our lord, we are foreign
merchants and far from our homes, who arrived here this day and were out
a-walking to-night, and behold, ye came up and these men laid hands on
us and brought us to thy presence; and this is all our story.” Quoth the
mock Caliph, “Since ye be stranger folk no harm shall befal you; but had
ye been of Baghdad, I had struck off your heads.” Then he turned to his
Wazir and said to him, “Take these men with thee; for they are our
guests to-night.” “To hear is to obey, O our lord,” answered he; and
they companied him till they came to a lofty and splendid palace set
upon the firmest base; no Sultan possesseth such a place; rising from
the dusty mould and upon the marges of the clouds laying hold. Its door
was of Indian teak-wood inlaid with gold that glowed; and through it one
passed into a royal-hall in whose midst was a jetting fount girt by a
raised estrade. It was provided with carpets and cushions of brocade and
small pillows and long settees and hanging curtains; it was furnished
with a splendour that dazed the mind and dumbed the tongue, and upon the
door were written these two couplets:—
A Palace whereon be blessings and praise! ✿ Which with all their beauty
have robed the Days:
Where marvels and miracle-sights abound, ✿ And to write its honours the
pen affrays.
The false Caliph entered with his company, and sat down on a throne of
gold set with jewels and covered with a prayer-carpet of yellow silk;
whilst the boon-companions took their seats and the sword-bearer of high
works stood before him. Then the tables were laid and they ate; after
which the dishes were removed and they washed their hands and the
wine-service was set on with flagons and bowls in due order. The cup
went round till it came to the Caliph, Harun al-Rashid, who refused the
draught and the mock Caliph said to Ja’afar, “What mattereth thy friend
that he drinketh not?” He replied, “O my lord, indeed ‘tis a long while
he hath drunk naught of this.” Quoth the sham Caliph, “I have drink
other than this, a kind of apple-wine,[188] that will suit thy
companion.” So he bade them bring the cider which they did forthright
when the false Caliph, coming up to Harun al-Rashid, said to him, “As
often as it cometh to thy turn drink thou of this.” Then they continued
to drink and make merry and pass the cup till the wine rose to their
brains and mastered their wits;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the false Caliph
and his co-sitters sat at their cups and gave not over drinking till the
wine rose to their brains and mastered their wits; and Harun al-Rashid
said to the Minister, “O Ja’afar, by Allah, we have no such vessels as
these. Would to Heaven I knew what manner of man this youth is!” But
while they were talking privily the young man cast a glance upon them
and seeing the Wazir whisper the Caliph said, “’Tis rude to whisper.” He
replied, “No rudeness was meant: this my friend did but say to
me:—Verily I have travelled in most countries and have caroused with the
greatest of Kings and I have companied with noble captains; yet never
saw I a goodlier ordering than this entertainment nor passed a more
delightful night; save that the people of Baghdad are wont to say, Wine
without music often leaves _you_ sick.” When the second Caliph heard
this, he smiled pleasantly and struck with a rod he had in his hand a
round gong;[189] and behold, a door opened and out came a eunuch,
bearing a chair of ivory, inlaid with gold glittering fiery red and
followed by a damsel of passing beauty and loveliness, symmetry and
grace. He set down the chair and the damsel seated herself on it, as she
were the sun shining sheen in a sky serene. In her hand she had a lute
of Hindu make, which she laid in her lap and bent down over it as a
mother bendeth over her little one, and sang to it, after a prelude in
four-and-twenty modes, amazing all wits. Then she returned to the first
mode and to a lively measure chanted these couplets:—
Love’s tongue within my heart speaks plain to thee, ✿ Telling thee
clearly I am fain of thee;
Witness the fevers of a tortured heart, ✿ And ulcered eyelid tear-flood
rains for thee;
God’s fate o’ertaketh all created things! ✿ I knew not love till learnt
Love’s pain of thee.
Now when the mock Caliph heard these lines sung by the damsel, he cried
with a great cry and rent his raiment to the very skirt, whereupon they
let down a curtain over him and brought him a fresh robe, handsomer than
the first. He put it on and sat as before, till the cup came round to
him, when he struck the gong a second time and lo! a door opened and out
of it came a eunuch with a chair of gold, followed by a damsel fairer
than the first, bearing a lute, such as would strike the envious mute.
She sat down on the chair and sang to her instrument these two
couplets:—
How patient bide, with love in sprite of me, ✿ And tears in tempest[190]
blinding sight of me?
By Allah, life has no delight of me! ✿ How gladden heart whose core is
blight of me?
No sooner had the youth heard this poetry than he cried out with a loud
cry and rent his raiment to the skirt: whereupon they let down the
curtain over him and brought him another suit of clothes. He put it on
and, sitting up as before, fell again to cheerful talk, till the cup
came round to him, when he smote once more upon the gong and out came a
eunuch with a chair, followed by a damsel fairer than she who forewent
her. So she sat down on the chair, with a lute in her hand, and sang
thereto these couplets:—
Cease ye this farness; ‘bate this pride of you, ✿ To whom my heart
clings, by life-tide of you!
Have ruth on hapless, mourning, lover-wretch, ✿ Desire-full, pining,
passion-tried of you:
Sickness hath wasted him, whose ecstasy ✿ Prays Heaven it may be
satisfied of you;
Oh fullest moons[191] that dwell in deepest heart! ✿ How can I think of
aught by side of you?
Now when the young man heard these couplets, he cried out with a great
cry and rent his raiment, whereupon they let fall the curtain over him
and brought him other robes. Then he returned to his former case with
his boon-companions and the bowl went round as before, till the cup came
to him, when he struck the gong a fourth time and the door opening, out
came a page-boy bearing a chair followed by a damsel. He set the chair
for her and she sat down thereon and taking the lute, tuned it and sang
to it these couplets:—
When shall disunion and estrangement end? ✿ When shall my bygone joys
again be kenned?
Yesterday we were joined in same abode; ✿ Conversing heedless of each
envious friend:[192]
Trickt us that traitor Time, disjoined our lot ✿ And our waste home to
desert fate condemned:
Wouldst have me, Grumbler! from my dearling fly? ✿ I find my vitals
blame will not perpend:
Cease thou to censure; leave me to repine; ✿ My mind e’er findeth
thoughts that pleasure lend.
O Lords[193] of me who brake our troth and plight, ✿ Deem not to lose
your hold of heart and sprite!
When the false Caliph heard the girl’s song, he cried out with a loud
outcry and rent his raiment——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Two Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, When the false Caliph heard the girl’s song, he cried with a
loud outcry and rent his raiment and fell to the ground fainting;
whereupon they would have let down the curtain over him, as of custom;
but its cords stuck fast and Harun al-Rashid, after considering him
carefully, saw on his body the marks of beating with palm-rods and said
to Ja’afar, “By Allah, he is a handsome youth, but a foul thief!”
“Whence knowest thou that, O Commander of the Faithful?” asked Ja’afar,
and the Caliph answered, “Sawest thou not the whip-scars on his ribs?”
Then they let fall the curtain over him and brought him a fresh dress,
which he put on and sat up as before with his courtiers and
cup-companions. Presently he saw the Caliph and Ja’afar whispering
together and said to them, “What is the matter, fair sirs?” Quoth
Ja’afar, “O my lord, all is well,[194] save that this my comrade, who
(as is not unknown to thee) is of the merchant-company and hath visited
all the great cities and countries of the world and hath consorted with
kings and men of highest consideration, saith to me:—Verily, that which
our lord the Caliph hath done this night is beyond measure extravagant,
never saw I any do the like doings in any country; for he hath rent such
and such dresses, each worth a thousand dinars and this is surely
excessive unthriftiness.” Replied the second Caliph, “Ho thou, the money
is my money and the stuff my stuff, and this is by way of largesse to my
suite and servants; for each suit that is rent belongeth to one of my
cup-companions here present, and I assign to them with each suit of
clothes the sum of five hundred dinars.” The Wazir Ja’afar replied,
“Well is whatso thou doest, O our lord,” and recited these two
couplets:—
Virtue in hand of thee hath built a house, ✿ And to mankind thou dost
thy wealth expose:
If an the virtues ever close their doors, ✿ That hand would be a key the
lock to unclose.
Now when the young man heard these verses recited by the Minister
Ja’afar, he ordered him to be gifted with a thousand dinars and a dress
of honour. Then the cup went round among them and the wine was sweet to
them; but, after a while quoth the Caliph to Ja’afar, “Ask him of the
marks on his sides, that we may see what he will say by way of reply.”
Answered Ja’afar, “Softly, O my lord, be not hasty and soothe thy mind,
for patience is more becoming.” Rejoined the Caliph, “By the life of my
head and by the revered tomb of Al-Abbas,[195] except thou ask him, I
will assuredly stop thy breath!” With this the young man turned towards
the Minister and said to him, “What aileth thee and thy friend to be
whispering together? Tell me what is the matter with you.” “It is
nothing save good,” replied Ja’afar; but the mock Caliph rejoined, “I
conjure thee, by Allah, tell me what aileth you and hide from me nothing
of your case.” Answered the Wazir, “O my lord, verily this one here saw
on thy sides the marks of beating with whips and palm-fronds and
marvelled thereat with exceeding marvel, saying:—How came the Caliph to
be beaten?; and he would fain know the cause of this.” Now when the
youth heard this, he smiled and said, “Know ye that my story is wondrous
and my case marvellous; were it graven with needles on the eye-corners,
it would serve as a warner to whoso would be warned.” And he sighed and
repeated these couplets:—