登陆注册
3553400000096

第96章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(18)

So comeshave me at once and give me no more talk.'By Allah,'rejoined he'if thou knewest what is about to befall theethou wouldst do nothing this day;and I counsel thee to do as I shall tell theeby observation of the stars.'By Allah,'said I'I never saw a barber skilled in astrology except thee: but I think and know that thou art prodigal of idle talk. I sent for thee to shave my headand thou plaguest me with this sorry prate!'What more wouldst thou have!'replied he. 'God hath vouchsafed thee a barberwho is an astrologerversed in the arts of alchemy and white magicsyntaxgrammar and lexicologyrhetoric and logic,arithmeticastronomy and geometryas well as in the knowledge of the Law and the Traditions of the Prophet and in exegesis.

MoreoverI have read many books and digested them and have had experience of affairs and understand them thoroughly. In shortI have examined into all things and studied all arts and crafts and sciences and mastered them;and thy father loved me because of my lack of officiousnessfor which reason my service is obligatory on thee. I am no meddleras thou pretendestand on this account I am known as the Silentthe Grave One. Wherefore it behoves thee to give thanks to God and not cross me for I am a true counsellor to thee and take an affectionate interest in thee. I would I were in thy service a whole yearthat thou mightst do me justice: and I would ask no hire of thee for this.'When I heard thisI said'Thou wilt certainly be the death of me this day!'

'O my lord,'replied he'I am he whom the folk call the Silent,by reason of my few wordsto distinguish me from my six brothersthe eldest of whom was called Becbacthe second Heddarthe third Fekicthe fourth El Kouz el Aswanithe fifth El Fesharthe sixth Shecashic and the seventh (myself) Samit .'Whilst he thus overwhelmed me with his talkI thought my gall-bladder would burst so I said to the servant'Give him a quarter-dinar and let him gofor God's sake!I won't have my head shaved to-day.'What words are theseO my lord?'said he. 'By AllahI will take no hire of thee till I have served thee;and needs must I serve theefor indeed it is incumbent on me to do so and fulfil thy need;and I care not if I take no money of thee. If thou knowest not my worthI know thine;and I owe thy father(may God the Most High have mercy on him!) many a kindnessfor he was a generous man. By Allahhe sent for me one day as it were this blessed dayand I went in to him and found a company of his friends with him. He would have had me let him blood;but I pulled out my astrolabe and taking an altitude for himfound the aspect inauspicious and the hour unfavourable for the letting of blood. I told him of this and he conformed to my advice and put off the operation to a more convenient season. So I recited the following verses in his honour:

I came one day unto my lordthat I might let him bloodBut found that for his body's health the season was not good;

So sat me down and talked with him of many a pleasant thing And all the treasures of my mind before him freely strewed.

Well pleasedhe listenedthen'O mine of knowledge!'he did say'Thy wit and wisdom overpass the bounds of likelihood!'

'Not so,'quoth I;'my wit indeed were littlebut for theeO prince of menthat pour'st on me thy wisdom like a flood!

Thou seem'st indeed the lord of gracebounty and excellence,World's treasure-house of knowledgewitsense and mansuetude!'

Thy father was charmed and cried out to the servantsaying,'Give him a hundred and three dinars and a dress of honour.'The servant did as he badeand I waited till a favourable moment,when I let him blood;and he did not cross mebut thanked me,and all present also praised me. When the cupping was overI could not help saying to him'By AllahO my lordwhat made thee say to the servant'Give him a hundred and three dinars'?

Quoth he'One dinar was for the astrological observation,another for thine entertaining conversethe third for the bloodletting and the remaining hundred and the dress for thy verses in my honour.''May God show no mercy to my father,'

exclaimed I'for knowing the like of thee?'He laughed and said,'There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle!Glory be to Him who changes but is not changed!I took thee for a man of sense;but I see thou dotest for illness. God saysin His precious Bookthat Paradise is prepared for 'those who restrain their wrath and forgive men'and in any case thou art excused.

But I am ignorant of the cause of thy hasteand thou must know that thy father and grandfather did nothing without consulting mefor indeed it is said that he with whom one takes counsel should be trustworthy and that he who takes counsel shall not be disappointed. It is said also that he who hath not an elder (to advise him) will never be an elder himself;and indeed the poet says:

Ere thou decide to venture thyself in aughtConsult an experienced man and cross him not.

And indeed thou wilt find none better versed in affairs than I,and I am here standing on my feet to serve thee. I am not vexed with thee: why shouldst thou be vexed with me? But I will bear with thee for the sake of the favours I owe thy father.'By Allah,'exclaimed I'O thou whose tongue is as long as a jackass's tailthou persistest in pestering me with talk and pelting me with wordswhen all I want of thee is to shave my head and take thyself off!'Then he lathered my headsaying'I know that thou art vexed with mebut I bear thee no malice;for thy wit is weak and thou art a boy: it was but yesterday I took thee on my shoulders and carried thee to the school'O my brother,'cried I'for God's sakedo what I want and go thy way!'And I rent my clothes. When he saw me do thishe took the razor and fell to sharpening it and stinted nottill I was well-nigh distraught. Then he came up to me and shaved a part of my headthen held his hand and said'O my lordhurry is of the Devil and deliberation of the Merciful One. Methinks thou knowest not my station;verily my hand falls on the heads of kings and amirs and viziers and sages and learned men: and it was of me the poet said:

同类推荐
  • 急救良方

    急救良方

    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。
  • 上清元始变化宝真上经九灵大妙龟山玄箓

    上清元始变化宝真上经九灵大妙龟山玄箓

    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。
  • 寿昌无明和尚语录

    寿昌无明和尚语录

    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。
  • 杂曲歌辞 火凤辞

    杂曲歌辞 火凤辞

    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。
  • 敬简堂学治杂录

    敬简堂学治杂录

    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
  • 倾世情缘

    倾世情缘

    应是荆山一璞玉,粉颜初来梦相依。可怜薄暮落沧海,秋水若纱罩琉璃。铁骨铮铮踏寒潭,几番惊恍几番奇。桎梏不为往生事,笑看六宇帝王尊。她,一个21世纪的神秘家族少女,穿越成为将军府孤女,出生时一头银发,红眸。因政治追杀,出生不足一月时离家,与兰儿相依为命。从小天赋过人,在人间四处奔走,兰儿传授她武功,炼丹,音律,诗词,丹青,以及为人之道,把她毕生所学都传授与她。在尘世间打滚,谁又晓得她是一颗沧海遗珠?七岁那年因为机缘巧合,开启了独自一人天下。汀兰袅袅玉露娇,髣髴轻掩雪腮香。婵娟仙姿峨眉误,孑立琼轩淡寂寥。无奈春风妒凝香,珠帘憔悴楚泪长。椅烛屏画清秋梦,西楼月光竹影摇。
  • 法医手记之证词

    法医手记之证词

    一名女游客半夜死于度假区农家院,凶案现场发现一排奇特的血脚印。经过大量的调查取证,终于锁定嫌疑人,眼见案情即将尘埃落定,却又被推翻……所谓的异睡症杀人,到底是真是假?匿名电话分别打到刑警队和刑侦局,举报已被派出所认定为心脏病发作致死的案件为他杀。三个地点接连出现三具尸体,死状、死因全部相同,凶案情节与一部探案小说高度吻合。在这些表象的背后,究竟有何恩怨纠葛?每一个案件都让人惊心动魄,每一个案件都让人唏嘘不已。对于法医来说,尸体就是最好的证词。在人性的天平两端,正义与邪恶上演着最胶着的较量。让一位神秘的女法医,用科学的方法带你与血腥、变态、恐怖正面交手,抽丝剥茧,寻找罪恶之源,为死者找回公道。
  • 重生成男神后都想扒我马甲

    重生成男神后都想扒我马甲

    她睁眼醒来就从隐世古武强者变成了一个女扮男装的纨绔废少。丑陋废少摇身一变成为国民男神,手撕白莲花脚踩渣男,做神厨,成学霸,网文大神、歌王影帝无一不通!【1V1爆宠文】
  • 天才都少

    天才都少

    乱世才人出,贼寇多污流。七星汇顶,天下易主。经历过转世的林枫,踏足在华夏国土,势必要成为这里的主宰!乞丐老师,武术家族。世事难料,万般变化玄幻莫测。这一次,他不会再苟活!这一次,他要掌控这座城市,掌握这个时代!妖孽少年转生奇缘,上演都市复仇之路。
  • 独异志

    独异志

    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。
  • 王子与贫儿(语文新课标课外必读第十二辑)

    王子与贫儿(语文新课标课外必读第十二辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • 仙剑前传之臣心似水(起源篇)

    仙剑前传之臣心似水(起源篇)

    有一个国家,叫做“姜”,兴于一柄魔剑,也亡于这柄魔剑。从天而降的魔剑,为龙姓夺得了国主之位,为姜国开创了中兴盛世。但,随着岁月的磨蚀,魔剑却逐渐丧失了魔力……姜国末代太子龙阳,为了恢复魔剑的魔力,不惜从杨国策反了铸剑大师穆玄石,冶铁铸剑,企图恢复魔剑的魔力。杨国则厉兵秣马,准备与姜国一战……姜国与杨国明争暗斗,吞并与反吞并的序幕徐徐拉开。两国无法相容,只能争个你死我活。杨国公子瑖被毒杀,其师黎启臣被当做疑犯刑囚,前医正之女晏薇因救治黎启臣被卷入滔天风波,盐枭童率千里赴义只为救友,杨国长公子杨瑝相思成疾不问政事,二公子杨琮身患奇病不知所踪……与此同时,姜国朝野暗潮汹涌,太子龙阳勉力支撑。
  • 消费心理学(心理学课堂02)

    消费心理学(心理学课堂02)

    《心理学课堂》套书共5册,包括《消费心理学》、《博弈心理学》、《乌合之众——大众心理研究》、《价格心理学》、《销售心理学》,《心理学课堂》从多方面总结和归纳了与人们生活息息相关的社会活动中的心理学,并配以生动的案例,增加了阅读趣味。阅读《心理学课堂》,可以使人们清醒的认识生活中所遇到的种种不合理现象并加以规避,从中得到人生智慧,使生活更加积极主动。
  • 火辣悍妃:王爷有胆来战

    火辣悍妃:王爷有胆来战

    一朝穿越,她竟倒霉催的成了被追杀的侯府嫡女,想让她死?别说门,就连窗都没有!好不容易逃脱追杀,她决意让那想害她性命的小婊砸付出代价,只是正当她磨刀霍霍打算向仇人报仇的时候,一纸赐婚圣旨竟将她赐婚给大梁国最神秘的夜王。新婚夜,神秘夜王身份揭晓,那人竟是……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 故事会(2017年7月上)

    故事会(2017年7月上)

    《故事会》是中国最通俗的民间文学小本杂志,是中国的老牌刊物之一。先后获得两届中国期刊的最高奖——国家期刊奖。1998年,它在世界综合类期刊中发行量排名第5。从1984年开始,《故事会》由双月刊改为月刊,2003年11月份开始试行半月刊,2004年正式改为半月刊。现分为红、绿两版,其中红版为上半月刊,绿版为下半月刊。