登陆注册
3553400000056

第56章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(31)

Whereupon he rose and fetching a copy of the Koransaid to me,'Swear to me that thou wilt never look upon another man than myselfnor incline to him.'I did as he wished and he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and embraced me and my whole heart was taken with love of him. Presently they set food before us and we ate and dranktill we were satisfied and night closed in upon us. Then he took me and went to bed with me and ceased not to kiss and embrace me till the morning. I lived with him in all delight and happiness for a monthat the end of which time I asked his leave to go to the bazaar to buy certain stuffs that I wantedand he gave me leave. So I veiled myself and taking with me the old woman and a serving-maidwent to the bazaarwhere I sat down in the shop of a young merchantwhom the old woman knew and had recommended to mesaying'The father of this young man diedwhen he was a boyand left him great wealth: he has great store of goodsand thou wilt find what thou seekest with him,for none in the bazaar has finer stuffs than he.'So she said to him'Show this lady thy finest stuffs.'And he answered'I hear and obey.'Then she began to sound his praises;but I said'I have no concern with thy praises of him;all I want is to buy what I need of him and return home.'So he brought me what I soughtand I offered him the pricebut he refused to take it,saying'It is a guest-gift to thee on the occasion of thy visit to me this day.'Then I said to the old woman'If he will not take the moneygive him back the stuff.'By Allah!'said he'I will take nothing from thee!I make thee a present of it allin return for one kiss;for that is more precious to me than all that is in my shop.'Quoth the old woman'What will a kiss profit thee?'Then she said to me'O my daughterthou hearest what this young man says. What harm will it do theeif he take from thee a kiss and thou get the stuffs for nothing?'Dost thou not know,'answered I'that I am bound by an oath?'But she said'Hold thy tongue and let him kiss theeand thou shalt keep thy money and no harm shall betide thee.'And she ceased not to persuade me till I put my head into the noose and consented. So I veiled my eyes and held up the edge of my veil between me and the streetthat the passers-by might not see me;and he put his mouth to my cheek under the veil. Butinstead of kissing mehe bit me so hard that he tore the flesh of my cheekand I swooned away. The old woman took me in her arms and when I came to myselfI found the shop shut up and her lamenting over me and saying'Thank God it was no worse!'Then she said to me'Come,take courage and let us go homelest the thing get wind and thou be disgraced. When thou returnestdo thou feign sickness and lie down and cover thyself upand I will bring thee a remedy that will soon heal the wound.'Soafter awhileI arosefull of fear and anxietyand went little by littletill I came to the housewhere I lay down and gave out that I was ill. When it was nightmy husband came in to me and said'O my ladywhat has befallen thee in this excursion?'Quoth I'I am not well: I have a pain in my head.'Then he lighted a candle and drew near and looked at me and said'What is that wound on thy cheekin the soft part?'Said I'When I went out to-day to buy stuffswith thy leavea camel laden with firewood jostled me and the end of one of the pieces of wood tore my veil and wounded my cheekas thou seest;for indeed the ways are strait in this city.'

'To-morrow,'rejoined he'I will go to the governor and speak to himthat he may hang every firewood-seller in the city.'God on thee,'cried I'do not burden thy conscience with such a sin against any one!The truth is that I was riding on an assand it stumbled and threw me downand my cheek fell on a piece of glasswhich wounded it.'Then,'said he'to morrow I will go to Jaafer the Barmecide and tell him the caseand he will kill every ass in the city.'Wilt thou ruin all the folk on my account,'said I'when this that befell me was decreed of God?'

'There is no help for it,'answered heand springing to his feetplied me with questions and pressed metill I was frightened and stammered in my speechso that he guessed how the case stood and exclaimed'Thou hast been false to thine oath!'

Then he gave a great crywhereupon a door opened and in came seven black slaveswhom he commanded to drag me from my bed and throw me down in the middle of the room. Moreoverhe made one take me by the shoulders and sit upon my head and another sit on my knees and hold my feet and giving a third a naked swordsaid to him'Strike herO Saadand cut her in twain and let each take half and throw it into the Tigris that the fish may eat herfor this is the reward of her who breaks her oath and is unfaithful to her love.'And he redoubled in wrath and repeated the following verses:

If any other share with me in her whom I adoreI'll root out passion from my heartthough longing me destroy;And I will say unto my soul'Death is the better part;'For love is naught that men with me in common do enjoy.

Then he said to the slave'Smite herO Saad!'Whereupon the latter bent down to me and said'O my ladyrepeat the profession of the faith and tell us if there be aught thou wouldst have donefor thy last hour is come.'O good slave,'said I'grant me a little respitethat I may give thee my last injunctions.'Then I raised my head and considered my case and how I had fallen from high estate into abjection;wherefore the tears streamed from my eyes and I wept passing sore. He looked at me with angry eyes and repeated the following Say unto her who wronged uson whom our kisses tireHer that hath chosen another for darling of desire,Lowe will spurn thee from usbefore thou cast us off!That which is past between us suffices to our ire.

When I heard thisI wept and looked at him and repeated the following verses:

You doom my banishment from love and all unmoved remain;You rob my wounded lids of rest and sleep whilst I complain.

You make mine eyes familiar with watching and unrest;Yet can my heart forget you notnor eyes from tears refrain.

同类推荐
  • COLUMBA

    COLUMBA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 学治说赘

    学治说赘

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 开元释教录略出

    开元释教录略出

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南征录汇

    南征录汇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 滇略

    滇略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 无人过夏

    无人过夏

    28岁职场剩女温颜,温和一世容颜,32岁高富帅,楚蓝,决绝中不容一丝背叛,她在漫漫职场中求一点荣华,他在阿谀奉承中寻一丝真心,她清醒时面试了他的公司,无论是因是果,这是一段避之唯恐不及的纠缠,你要我的人,还是我的心,对不起,都不能给你.
  • 刺猬

    刺猬

    爱跟伤害是并行的。我期待一场毕生难忘的恋爱,也期待一场刻骨铭心的纠缠,回头看看,却发现,有时候,什么都不懂,才是最幸福的时候。青春,很美好,不是吗?
  • 第一修真班

    第一修真班

    一次偶然机会,苏识渊与一位古怪少女合租,在接触的过程中,苏识渊接触到了少女的古怪与这个世界的神秘,修真。
  • 大荒生民

    大荒生民

    一本披着玄幻外衣的故事书,一本专心讲故事的书。
  • 关东第一枪

    关东第一枪

    一段永远不能忘怀的历史——九一八事变。在东北广袤而多情的黑土地上,抗日义勇军风起云涌。铁骨柔情的土匪头子章啸天,联合其他绺子,在外敌入侵时毅然摒弃前嫌,在中华民族最危难的时刻,打响全国民众抗战第一枪。章啸天率领的义勇军,武功盖世,百发百中,以飓风浩荡、气吞山河之势,横扫侵占东北的日本关东军。胆识过人的章啸天,从不按套路出牌,声东击西,诱杀汉奸,一次次挫败了日军的阴谋和气焰。在枪林弹雨中,演绎着荡气回肠的侠肝义胆,同时也演绎着黑土地上特有的爱情故事,激荡着惊心动魄、感天动地的英雄赞歌。
  • 绘画天才:毕加索

    绘画天才:毕加索

    名人创造了历史,名人改写了历史,那些走在时代最前列、深深影响和推动了历史进程的名人永远会被广大人民所拥戴、所尊重、所铭记。古往今来,有多少中外名人不断地涌现在人们的目光里,这些出类拔萃、彪炳千古、流芳百世的名人中,有家国天下的政治家,有叱咤风云的军事家,有超乎凡人的思想家,有妙笔生花的文学家,有造福人类的科学家,有想象非凡的艺术家……他们永远不会被人们忘记!
  • 六十种曲玉簪记

    六十种曲玉簪记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 20岁以后这样做女孩命最好

    20岁以后这样做女孩命最好

    本书从女人的情商、财商、社交、职场、心理、才智、婚姻、健康等角度,全方位地展示现代好命女的必备要素。希望本书能让所有女孩有机会重新审视自己的生活,把握好人生的航向,抓住自己的未来!
  • 穿越的正面主角对战反面主角

    穿越的正面主角对战反面主角

    唐龙走进一个穿越的时空,他的对手不在是土著,而是穿越者。唐龙说我选择崇祯,是因为我不想华夏的文明倒退。我选择项羽,是不想让武力绝世无双的男人成为悲剧。我选择杨康,是不想让他的亲生父母绝望的死去。这一切都要活着才能完成。
  • 灵龙稚心

    灵龙稚心

    丧失抚养双亲的霖辰解开一部分灵力,与从狩界来到现实寻找弟弟的寒龙霜辰遭难相遇,从此生活开始与妖怪搭上关系。随着他们感情加深,霖辰的记忆一点点揭开。他们在不经意间介入了人与妖的矛盾。狩界一场策划已久的阴谋正在展开。