一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第48部分

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no　child　to　succeed　me；　thou　shalt　sit　on　my　throne　in　my　stead；　for　thou　art　the　worthiest　of　all　the　people　of　my　realm；　and　I　will　invest　thee　with　my　kingship　and　appoint　thee　my　heir　presumptive　to　inherit　the　kingdom　after　me；　if　it　be　the　will　of　God　the　Most　High；　in　the　presence　of　the　grandees　of　my　state；　and　will　them　to　witness　thereof。'

Then　he　called　his　secretary　and　bade　him　write　to　all　the　notables　of　his　kingdom；　summoning　them　to　his　court；　and　caused　proclamation　to　be　made　in　his　city　unto　all　the　townsfolk　great　and　small；　bidding　all　the　amirs　and　governors　and　chamberlains　and　other　officers　and　dignitaries；　as　well　as　the　sages　and　doctors　of　the　law；　to　his　presence。　Moreover　he　held　a　grand　divan　and　made　a　banquet；　never　was　its　like；　and　bade　all　the　folks　high　and　low；　thereto。　So　they　all　assembled　and　abode　in　eating　and　drinking　and　delight　a　month's　space；　after　which　the　king　clothed　all　his　household　and　the　poor　of　his　kingdom　and　bestowed　abundant　largesse　on　the　men　of　learning。

Then　he　chose　out　a　number　of　the　sages　and　wise　men；　by　counsel　of　the　son　of　Shimas；　and　caused　them　go　in　to　him；　bidding　him　choose　out　six　of　them；　that　he　might　make　them　viziers　under　his　mandment。　So　he　chose　out　six　of　the　oldest　of　them　in　years　and　the　most　acplished　of　them　in　understanding　and　knowledge　and　the　speediest　of　memory　and　judgment；　and　presented　them　to　the　king；　who　clad　them　in　the　vizier's　habit　and　said　to　them；　'Ye　are　bee　my　viziers；　under　the　mandment　of　this　my　chief　vizier；　the　son　of　Shimas。　Whatsoever　he　saith　to　you　or　biddeth　you　thereto；　ye　shall　not　in　anywise　depart　from　it；　albeit　he　is　the　youngest　of　you　in　years；　for　he　is　the　eldest　of　you　in　wit。'

Then　he　seated　them　upon　chairs；　adorned　with　gold；　after　the　usage　of　viziers；　and　appointed　unto　them　stipends　and　allowances；　bidding　them　choose　out　such　of　the　notables　of　the　kingdom　and　officers　of　the　troops　present　at　the　banquet　as　were　most　fit　for　the　service　of　the　state；　that　he　might　make　them　captains　of　tens　and　hundreds　and　thousands　and　appoint　to　them　dignities　and　assign　them　provision；　after　the　manner　of　grandees。　This　they　did　with　all　diligence　and　he　bade　them　also　handsel　all　who　were　present　with　largesse　galore　and　dismiss　them　each　to　his　country　with　honour　and　worship。　Moreover　he　charged　his　governors　rule　the　people　with　justice　and　enjoined　them　to　be　tenderly　solicitous　for　rich　and　poor　and　bade　succour　them　from　the　treasury；　according　to　their　several　degrees。　So　the　viziers　wished　him　continuance　of　glory　and　long　life；　and　he　manded　to　decorate　the　city　three　days；　in　gratitude　to　God　the　Most　High　for　His　mercies。

When　the　court　was　dissolved　and　all　the　people　had　departed；　each　to　his　own　place；　after　their　affairs　had　been　set　in　order；　the　king　summoned　the　son　of　Shimas　and　the　other　six　viziers　and　taking　them　apart　privily；　said　to　them；　'Know；　O　viziers；　that　I　have　been　a　wanderer　from　the　right　way；　drowned　in　ignorance；　setting　my　face　against　admonition；　a　breaker　of　pacts　and　promises　and　a　gainsayer　of　folk　of　good　counsel；　and　the　cause　of　all　this　was　my　befoolment　by　these　women　and　the　wiles　with　which　they　beset　me　and　the　seeming　fairness　of　their　speech；　wherewith　they　beguiled　me；　and　my　acceptance　of　this；　for　that　I　deemed　their　words　true　and　loyal　counsel；　by　reason　of　the　sweetness　and　softness　thereof；　but　behold；　they　were　deadly　poison。　And　now　I　am　certified　that　they　sought　but　to　ruin　and　destroy　me；　wherefore　they　deserve　punishment　and　requital　from　me；　for　the　sake　of　justice；　that　I　may　make　them　an　admonition　to　all　who　will　be　admonished。　But　what　deem　ye　advisedly　of　putting　them　to　death？'

'O　mighty　king；'　answered　the　young　vizier；　'I　have　already　told　thee　that　women　are　not　alone　to　blame；　but　that　the　fault　is　shared　between　them　and　the　men　who　hearken　to　them；　but　they　deserve　punishment　for　two　reasons：　first；　for　the　fulfilment　of　thy　word；　because　thou　art　the　supreme　king；　and　secondly；　by　reason　of　their　presumption　against　thee　and　their　beguilement　of　thee　and　their　intermeddling　with　that　which　concerns　them　not　and　whereof　it　befits　them　not　to　speak。　Wherefore　they　have　right　well　deserved　death；　yet　let　that　which　hath　befallen　them　suffice　them；　and　do　thou　henceforth　reduce　them　to　servants'　estate。　But　it　is　thine　to　mand　in　this　and　other　than　this。'

Some　of　the　viziers　seconded　Ibn　Shimas's　advice；　but　one　of　them　prostrated　himself　before　the　king　and　said　to　him；　'May　God　prolong　the　king's　days！　If　thou　be　indeed　resolved　to　put　them　to　death；　do　with　them　as　I　shall　say　to　thee。'　'And　what　is　that？'　asked　Wird　Khan。　Quoth　the　vizier；　'It　were　best　that　thou　bid　some　of　thy　female　slaves　carry　the　women　who　played　thee　false　to　the　apartment；　wherein　befell　the　slaughter　of　thy　viziers　and　sages；　and　imprison　them　there；　and　do　thou　assign　to　them　a　little　meat　and　drink；　enough　to　keep　life　in　them　＇and　no　more＇。　Let　them　never　be　suffered　to　go　forth　of　that　place；　and　whenever　one　of　them　dies；　let　her　abide　among　them；　as　she　is；　till　they　die　all；　even　to　the　last　of　them。　This　is　the　least　of　their　desert；　for　that　they　were　the　cause　of　this　great　wickedness；　ay；　and　the　origin　of　all　the　troubles　and　calamities　that　have　befallen　in　our　time；　so　shall　there　be　verified　in　them　the　words　of　him　who　said；　〃He　who　diggeth　a　pit　for　his　brother　shall　surely　himself　fall　therein；　though　he　go　long　in　safety。〃'

The　king　accepted　the　vizier's　counsel　and　sending　for　four　stalwart　female　slaves；　mitted　the　offending　women　to　them；　bidding　them　carry　them　to　the　place　of　slaughter　and　imprison　them　there　and　allow　them　every　day　a　little　coarse　food　and　a　little　troubled　water。　They　did　with　them　as　he　bade；　wherefore　the　women　mourned　sore；　repenting　them　of　that　which　they　had　done　and　lamenting　grievously。　Thus　God　gave　them　their　reward　of　abjection　in　this　world　and　prepared　for　them　torment　in　the　world　to　e；　nor　did　they　cease　to　abide　in　that　dark　and　noisome　place；　whilst　every　day　one　or　other　of　them　died；　till　they　all　perished；　even　to　the　last　of　them；　and　the　report　of　this　event　was　bruited　abroad　in　all　lands　and　countries。　This　is　the　end　of　the　story　of　the　king　and　his　viziers　and　subjects；　and　praise　be　to　God　who　causeth　peoples　to　pass　away　and　quickeh　the　rotten　bones；　Him　who　＇alone＇　is　worthy　to　be　glorified　and　magnified　and　hollowed　for　ever　and　ever！



ABOUKIR　THE　DYER　AND　ABOUSIR　THE　BARBER。

There　dwelt　once；　in　the　city　of　Alexandria；　two　men；　one　of　whom　was　a　dyer；　by　name　Aboukir；　and　the　other　a　barber　called　Abousir；　and　they　were　neighbours　in　the　market；　where　their　shops　were　side　by　side。　The　dyer　was　a　swindler　and　a　liar；　an　exceeding　wicked　man；　as　if　indeed　his　temples　were　hewn　out　of　the　rock　or　fashioned　of　the　threshold　of　a　Jewish　synagogue；　nor　was　he　ashamed　of　any　knavery　he　wrought　amongst　the　folk。　It　was　his　wont；　when　any　brought　him　stuffs　to　dye；　to　require　of　him　present　payment；　on　pretence　of　buying　dyestuffs　withal。　So　the　man　would　give　him　the　hire　in　advance　and　go　away；　and　he　would　spend　it　on　meat　and　drink；　after　which　he　would　sell　the　stuff　itself　and　spend　its　price　in　eating　and　drinking　and　what　not　else；　for　he　ate　not　but　of　the　choicest　and　most　delicate　meats　nor　drank　but　of　the　best　of　that　which　doth　away　the　wit。

When　the　owner　of　the　stuff　came　to　him；　he　would　say　to　him；　'e　to　me　tomorrow　before　sunrise　and　thou　shalt　find　thy　stuff　dyed。'　So　the　man　would　go　away；　saying　in　himself；　'One　day　is　near　another；'　and　return　next　day　at　the　appointed　time；　when　the　dyer　would　say　to　him；　'e　tomorrow；　yesterday　I　was　not　at　work；　for　I　had　with　me　guests　and　was　occupied　with　their　service　till　they　went：　but　e　tomorrow　before　sunrise　and　take　thy　stuff　dyed。'　So　he　would　go　away　and　return　on　the　third　day；　when　Aboukir　would　say　to　him；　'Indeed　yesterday　I　was　excusable；　for　my　wife　was　brought　to　bed　in　the　night　and　all　day　I　was　busy　with　one　thing　and　another；　but　tomorrow；　without　fail；　e　and　take　thy　stuff　dyed。'

When　the　man　came　again　at　the　appointed　time；　he　would　put　him　off　with　some　other　tale；　it　mattered　little　what；　and　would　swear　to　him；　nor　would　he　cease　to　promise　and　swear　to　him；　as　often　as　he　came；　till　the　customer　lost　patience　and　said；　'How　often　wilt　thou　say　to　me；　〃Tomorrow？〃　Give　me　my　stuff：　I　will　not　have　it　dyed。'　Whereupon　the　dyer　would　make　answer；　'By　Allah；　O　my　brother；　I　am　abashed　at　thee；　but　I　will　tell　the　truth　and　may　God　harm　all　who　do　folk　hurt　in　their　goods！'　The　other　would　say；　'Tell　me　what　hath　happened；'　and　Aboukir　would　answer；　'Indeed　I　dyed　thy　stuff　on　matchless　wise　and　hung　it　on　the　rope　＇to　dry；＇　but　it　was　stolen　and　I　know　not　who　took　it。'　If　the　owner　of　the　stuff　were　a　goodnatured　man；　he　would　say；　'God　will　recoup　me；'　and　if　he　were　illconditioned；　he　would　pursue　him　with　exposure　and　insult；　but　would　get　nothing　of　him；　though　he　plained　of　him　to　the　judge。

He　ceased　not　to　do　thus　till　his　report　was　noised　abroad　among　the　folk　and　they　used　to　warn　one　another　against　him　and　he　became　a　byword　amongst　them。　So　they　all　held　aloof　from　him　and　none　had　to　do　with　him　save　those　who　knew　not　his　character；　but；　for　all　this；　he　failed　not　daily　to　suffer　insult　and　disgrace　from　God's　creatures。　By　reason　of　this　his　trade　became　slack　and　he　used　to　go　to　the　shop　of　his　neighbour　the　barber　and　sit　there；　with　his　eyes　on　the　door　of　the　dyery。　Whenever　he　espied　any　one　who　knew　him　not　standing　at　the　dyerydoor；　with　a　piece　of　stuff　in　his　hand；　he　would　go　up　to　him　and　say；　'What　seekest　thou；　O　man？'　And　the　man　would　answer；　'Take　and　dye　me　this　thing。'　So　the　dyer　would　say；　'What　colour　wilt　thou　have　it？'　For；　with　all　his　knavery；　he　could　dye　all　manner　of　colours；　but　he　never　kept　faith　with　any　one；　so　poverty　had　gotten　the　better　of　him。　Then　he　would　take　the　stuff　and　say；　'Give　me　my　hire　in　advance　and　e　tomorrow　and　take　the　stuff。'　So　the　stranger　would　give　him　the　money　and　go　his　way；　whereupon　Aboukir　would　carry　the　stuff　to　the　market　and　sell　it　and　buy　meat　and　vegetables　and　tobacco　and　fruit　and　what　not　else　he　needed　with　the　price；　but；　whenever　he　saw　any　one　who　had　given　him　stuff　to　dye　standing　at　the　door　of　his　shop；　he　would　not　show　himself　to　him。

On　this　wise　he　abode　years　and　years；　till　it　chanced　one　day　that　he　received　stuff　to　dye　from　a　masterful　man　and　sold　it　and　spent　the　price。　The　owner　came　to　him　every　day；　but　found　him　not　in　his　shop；　for；　whenever　he　espied　any　one　who　had　a　claim　against　him；　he　would　flee　from　him　into　the　shop　of　the　barber　Abousir。　At　last；　the　angry　man；　finding　that　he　was　not　to　be　seen　and　growing　weary　of　ing；　repaired　to　the　Cadi　and　bringing　one　of　the　latter's　serjeants　to　the　shop；　nailed　up　the　door；　in　presence　of　a　number　of　Muslims；　and　sealed　it；　for　that　he　found　therein　nothing　but　some　broken　pans；　to　stand　him　instead　of　his　stuff；　after　which　the　serjeant　took　the　key；　saying　to　the　neighbours；　'Tell　him　to　bring　back　this　man's　goods　and　take　the　key　of　his　shop；'　and　went　his　way；　he　and　the　man。

Then　said　Abousir　to　Abo