Читать книгу One Thousand and One Nights (Complete Annotated Edition) - Richard Francis Burton - Страница 155

Table of Contents

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Taj Al- Muluk, when he looked about him at the caravan, saw a handsome youth in neat attire and of shapely make, with flower like forehead and moon like face, save that his beauty was wasted and yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of parting from those he loved; and great was his groaning and moaning, and the tears streamed from his eyelids as he repeated these couplets,

“Longsome is Absence; Care and Fear are sore,

And ceaseless tears, O friend, mine eyes outpour:

Yea, I farewelled my heart on parting day

And heartless, hopeless, now I bide forlore:

Pause, O my friend, with me farewelling one

Whose words my cure can work, my health restore!”

Now when the youth ended his poetry he wept awhile and fell down in a fainting fit, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked at him and wondered at his case. Then, coming to himself, he stared with distracted air, and versified in these couplets,

“Beware her glance I rede thee, ’tis like wizard wight,

None can escape unscathed those eye shafts’ glancing flight:

In very sooth black eyes, with languorous sleepy look,

Pierce deeper than white swords however these may bite.

Be not thy senses by her sweets of speech beguiled,

Whose brooding fever shall ferment in thought and sprite:

Soft sided Fair1174 did silk but press upon her skin, ‘Twould draw red blood from it, as thou thyself canst sight. Chary is she of charms twixt neck and anklets dwell, And ah! what other scent shall cause me such delight?1175”

Then he sobbed a loud sob and swooned away. But when Taj al- Muluk saw him in this case, he was perplexed about his state and went up to him; and, as the youth came to his senses and saw the King’s son standing at his head, he sprang to his feet and kissed the ground between his hands. Taj al-Muluk asked him, ‘Why didst thou not show us thy merchandise?” end he answered, O my lord, there is naught among my stock worthy of thine august highness.” Quoth the Prince, “Needs must thou show me what thou hast and acquaint me with thy circumstance; for I see thee weeping eyed and heavyhearted. If thou have been oppressed, we will end thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will pay thy debt; for of a truth my heart burneth to see thee, since I first set eyes on thee.”1176 Then Taj al-Muluk bade the seats be set, and they brought him a chair of ivory and ebony with a net work of gold and silk, and spread him a silken rug for his feet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the youth seat himself on the rug said to him, “Show me thy stock in trade!” The young merchant replied, “O my Lord, do not name this to me, for my goods be unworthy of thee.” Rejoined Taj al-Muluk “It needs must be thus!”; and bade some of the pages fetch the goods. So they brought them in despite of him; and, when he saw them, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed and lamented: sobs rose in his throat and he repeated these couplets,

“By what thine eyelids show of Kohl and coquetry!

By what thy shape displays of lissome symmetry!

By what thy liplets store of honey dew and wine!

By what thy mind adorns of gracious kindly gree!

To me thy sight dream-visioned, O my hope! exceeds

The happiest escape from horriblest injury.”

Then the youth opened his bales and displayed his merchandise to Taj Al–Muluk in detail, piece by piece, and amongst them he brought out a gown of satin brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars. When he opened the gown there fell a piece of linen from its folds. As soon as the young merchant saw this he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his thigh; and his reason wandered, and he began versifying,

“When shall be healed of thee this heart that ever bides in woe?

Than thee the Pleiad-stars more chance of happy meeting show

Parting and banishment and longing pain and lowe of love,

Procrastinating1177 and delay these ills my life lay low: Nor union bids me live in joy, nor parting kills by grief, Nor travel draws me nearer thee nor nearer comest thou: Of thee no justice may be had, in thee dwells naught of rush, Nor gain of grace by side of thee, nor flight from thee I know: For love of thee all goings forth and comings back are strait On me, and I am puzzled sore to know where I shall go.”

Taj al-Muluk wondered with great wonder at his verse, and could not comprehend the cause. But when the youth snatched up the bit of linen and placed it under thigh, he asked him, “What is that piece of linen?” “O my Lord,” answered the merchant, “thou hast no concern with this piece.” Quoth the King’s son, “Show it me;” and quoth the merchant, “O my lord, I refused to show thee my goods on account of this piece of linen; for I cannot let thee look upon it.”— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,