登陆注册
3553400000085

第85章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(7)

Then I left the Khan and walked along Bein el Kesrein till I came to the Zuweyleh Gatewhere I found the folk crowded together and the gate blocked up for the much people. As Fate would have itI saw there a trooperagainst whom I pressedwithout meaning it,so that my hand came on his pocket and I felt a purse inside. I looked and seeing a string of green silk hanging from the pocket,knew that it belonged to the purse. The crowd increased every moment and just thena camel bearing a load of wood jostled the trooper on the other side and he turned to ward it off from him,lest it should tear his clothes. When I saw thisSatan tempted me;so I pulledthe string and drew out a little purse of blue silkfull of something that chinked like money. Hardly had I done sowhen the soldier turned and feeling his pocket lightenedput his hand to it and found it empty;whereupon he turned to me and raising his macesmote me on the head I fell to the groundwhilst the people came round us and seizing the soldier's horse by the bridlesaid to him'Is it because he pushed against thee in the throngthat thou smitest this young man such a blow?'But he cried out at them and said'This fellow is an accursed thief!'With this I came to myself and stood up,and the folk looked at me and said'This is a comely youth and would not steal aught.'Some took part for me and others against me and there was a great clamourand the people pulled at me and would have rescued me from the trooper;but as Fate would have itthe chief of the police and the captain and officers of the watch entered by the gate at this moment;and the prefectseeing the crowd about the soldier and myselfenquired what was the matter. 'O my lord,'replied the soldier'this fellow is a thief. I had a blue purse in my pocketcontaining twenty dinars,and he took itwhilst I was in the crush.'Was any one else by thee?'asked the magistrateand the trooper answered'No.'Then the prefect cried out to the officers of the watchwho seized me and stripping me by his orderfound the purse in my clothes. He took it and found in it twenty dinarsas the soldier had said,whereat he was wroth and calling to the officers to bring me before himsaid to me'O young man tell me the truth. Didst thou steal this purse?'At this I hung down my head and said to myself'It is useless for me to say I did not steal the purse,for they found it in my clothes: and if I confess to the theftI fall into trouble.'So I raised my head and said'Yes: I took it.'When the prefect heard what I saidhe wondered and called for witnesseswho came forward and attested by confession. Then he bade the hangman cut off my right handand he did so;after which he would have cut off my left foot also;but the trooper took pity on me and interceded for me with the prefectwho left me and went away;whilst the folk remained round me and gave me a cup of wine to drink. As for the trooperhe gave me the purse,saying'Thou art a comely youthand it befits not that thou be a thief.'And I repeated the following verses:

By Allahtrusty brother mineI am indeed no thiefNorO most bountiful of mena highwayman am I.

But the vicissitudes of fate overthrew me suddenlyAnd care and stress and penury full sorely did me try.

It was not thoubut God who cast the fatal shaft at meThe shaft that made from off my head the crown of honour fly.

Then he left meand I went awayafter having wrapt my hand in a piece of rag and thrust it into my bosom. I betook me to my mistress's housefaint and ill at ease and pale by reason of what had befallen meand threw myself on the couch. She saw that my colour was changed and said to me'What ails thee and why do I see thee thus changed?'My head irks me,'answered I;'I am not well.'When she heard thisshe was vexed and concerned for me and said to me'Fret not my heartO my lord!Sit up and raise thy head and let me know what has happened to thee to-day,for thy face tells me a tale.'Spare me this talk,'replied I.

But she wept and said'Meseems thou art tired of mefor I see that thou art contrary to thy wont.'But I was silentand she continued to talk to methough I made her no answertill nightfallwhen she brought me food: but I refused itfearing to let her see me eat with my left handand said to her'I do not care to eat at present.'Quoth she 'Tell me what has befallen thee to-day and what ails theethat thou art troubled and broken in heart and spirit.'Presently,'replied I;'I will tell thee at my leisure.'Then she brought me winesaying'Take it for it will dispel thy care: thou must indeed drink and tell me what is thy matter with thee.'Must I tell thee?'said I;and she answered'Yes.'Then said I'If it must be sogive me to drink with thine own hand.'So she filled and drank then filled again and gave me the cup. I took it from her with my left hand and repeated the following verses with tears running from my eyes:

When God would execute His will in anything On one endowed with sighthearing and reasoning,He stops his ears and blinds his eyes and draws his wit From him,as one draws out the hairs to paste that cling;TillHis decrees fulfilledHe gives him back his witThat therewithal he may receive admonishing.

At this she gave a loud cry and said to me'What makes thee weep? Thou settest my heart on fire. And what ails thee to take the cup with thy left hand?'I have a boil on my right hand,'answered I;and she said'Put it out and I will lance it for thee.'It is not ripe for lancing,'answered I;'so do not torment mefor I will not show it thee at present.'Then I drank off the cupand she plied me with wine till I became drowsy and fell asleep in my place;whereupon she looked at my right arm and saw that it was but a stump without a hand. So she searched me and found the purse of gold and my severed hand wrapt in a piece of rag. With thisthere overcame her such grief as none ever knewand she ceased not to lament for my sake till the morning.

同类推荐
  • 重编天台诸文类集

    重编天台诸文类集

    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。
  • 庸盦笔记

    庸盦笔记

    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。
  • 虚舟禅师注八识规矩颂

    虚舟禅师注八识规矩颂

    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。
  • 雪庵从瑾禅师颂古

    雪庵从瑾禅师颂古

    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。
  • 双砚斋词话

    双砚斋词话

    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
  • 于余

    于余

    此书为我闲暇之余所做,并无多精彩情节,多为我的自己感叹,和再次年纪所说之话,所做之事
  • 魔王的人间日常

    魔王的人间日常

    魔王拉瓦萨因魔王进阶考核不及格被派人间生活,从此他过上了“幸福的”初中生活……然后中考……
  • 明伦汇编皇极典帝运部

    明伦汇编皇极典帝运部

    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。
  • 浙江省服务业企业商业模式创新案例

    浙江省服务业企业商业模式创新案例

    服务业,特别是现代服务业,具有高成长性、高增值性、高知识性的“三高”属性和新技术、新业态、新方式的“三新”特征。由黄勇等主编的《浙江省服务业企业商业模式创新案例》是近年来我省经济转型升级、现代服务业发展的一个缩影,从一个侧面展示了浙商创业创新精神和转型发展的成功实践,对我省继续推进现代服务业加快发展颇具借鉴性和引导性。希望本书能够启示和推动我省更多的服务业企业以商业模式创新为突破口,走出一条转型提升、做强做大的成功发展道路。
  • 邪王溺宠失忆小阁主

    邪王溺宠失忆小阁主

    夏凝邪神秘的女子,没人敢得罪她,因为她是第一势力九天阁的神秘阁主,还因为她可以徒手灭国。但她却很少出现在世人的面前,就连九天阁中人都不曾见过她几次。因为她啊,是一个容易失去记忆的人,每过三年就会忘记一切,只记得自己是九天阁的主人,和自己的使命:寻找天下之主。夜陌修夜澜帝国的邪王殿下,弑杀,暴虐,无情冷血。但这些却是他为了守住自己所爱的人才会这般。他爱的人只活在自己的梦中,不能出现在他的面前,他不能真正拥抱她。所以他憎恨这个没有她的世界。当失忆的阁主遇上邪王殿下,邪王殿下惊住了,因为这就是他梦中爱而不得的女子啊。从今以后,邪王殿下就走上了一条势力宠阁主的不归路。
  • 追昔抚今

    追昔抚今

    《追昔抚今》的书名“追昔抚今”并不是通常说的“抚今追昔”的笔误。今天,我们生活在中华民族复兴的伟大时代,复兴的基础是五千年的辉煌。复兴人人有责,这就要求人人懂历史、爱历史。遗憾的是,如今有的中国人,对中国历史所知不多,还说:“都什么年代了!”“追昔抚今”这个书名,把“追昔”换到前面,有意突出“追昔”,是友情提醒,更是郑重呼吁:“追昔抚今”还有一层意思,便是从“追昔”入手,把落脚点实实在在地放在“抚今”,强调昔为今用,不致读史写史沦为空谈。具体讲,运用历史唯物主义的观点,合乎逻辑而不牵强附会地让正反两方面的经验在时代前进中释放正能量。
  • 同根

    同根

    两岸文学pk大赛一对兄弟,在那个非常时代,因为外界的原因,各自参加了不同的部队,最后结果也就有了变化,李连东随着国民党的军队去了台湾,而李胜生却跟着共产党的部队赶走了他们,之后,他们都复员回家,过着平凡的生活,可是李连东的那种思乡之情却总是改变不了,为了实现这个目标,他花费了多年的心血去努力着,尽管在这么多年里,他们在各自的人生道路上跋涉着,经过艰难的人生之路,和不停的感情交流,终于落叶归根,并且在年迈的时候,终于实现了这个愿望,回到了一别多年的家乡,并在晚之时,在李胜生儿女的赡养下,过着幸福的晚年生活,……
  • 闺谋

    闺谋

    那年,三月动水,湮远的山花,似曾相识。谁说,除了朝暮的思念,他已别无长物。绿意展开的瞬间,千里烟云,千里风。云山之外,十面桃花,弹出水之袖。朱门水祭,谁若那远年的回音,相信风来必会水动------已有完结文《重生之幸福时光》。坑品保证。新书《梦鱼堂诡话》已上传,请多支持!
  • 嫁个绝色相公

    嫁个绝色相公

    月黑风高的夜晚,静的只剩下风声。我小心翼翼的走在林间的小道上,一手拿着手枪,一拿紧紧将重要的宝物搂在怀中。这件宝物,只是一副画而已。但是,这副画却已经有几千年的历史,价值数亿元。可是,这副画现在确在我的手上,呵呵,没错,我是一个小偷……兼杀手。要说我的师傅是谁嘛?保密。要问我是哪个组织嘛?我是自由人士,无门无派。……
  • 农村大学生奋斗记:漂泊的城市

    农村大学生奋斗记:漂泊的城市

    程文志、朱宝达、罗雪洁、唐旭、曾美格是五个刚从大学校门步入社会、怀惴各色梦想的热血青年;他们全都来自农村,渴望能够留在大都会中京市有一番作为,但每个人却画出了不同的人生轨迹。程文志想当作家,为了实现自己的梦想,他先后做过化工厂工人、勤杂工,经过努力成了省报的一名记者;最后,他又奔向了北京。朱宝达不安心当副厅长的舅舅给他安排的市人事局的工作,一心想着开公司做买卖;历经几近破产的失败后,他东山再起,如愿以偿,成了年轻的富豪。罗雪洁和唐旭是高中同学,上大学时起两个人就开始了同居生活。在经过一场惨痛的生意失败后,唐旭竟然干出了携款外逃的傻事,落得个锒铛入狱的可悲下场。青春貌美、性格倔强固执的曾美格不愿回家乡小城工作,为此和恋爱四年的男友赌气分手。她被公司老板设计占有后,用腹中孩子逼迫老板离婚,最后却成了一个在火车站广场流浪的疯子……