一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)- 第19部分

Then　he　betook　himself　forthright　to　the　druggist　and　said　to　him；　'Peace　be　on　thee；　O　uncle！'　He　returned　his　salutation　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　what　hast　thou　bought　for　a　thousand　dinars　this　day？'　'I　have　bought　a　slavegirl；'　answered　Noureddin。　'O　my　son；'　rejoined　the　old　man；　'art　thou　mad　that　thou　givest　a　thousand　dinars　for　one　slavegirl？　What　kind　of　slavegirl　is　she？'　'She　is　a　damsel　of　the　children　of　the　Franks；'　replied　Noureddin　and　the　druggist　said；　'O　my　son；　the　best　of　the　girls　of　the　Franks　are　to　be　had　in　this　town　for　a　hundred　dinars；　and　by　Allah；　they　have　put　a　cheat　on　thee　in　the　matter　of　this　damsel！　However；　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　her；　lie　with　her　this　night　and　do　thy　will　of　her　and　tomorrow　morning　go　down　with　her　to　the　market　and　sell　her；　through　thou　lose　two　hundred　dinars　by　her；　and　put　it　that　thou　hast　been　robbed　of　them　or　lost　them　by　shipwreck。'　'Thou　sayst　well；　O　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'but　thou　knowest　that　I　had　but　the　thousand　dinars　wherewith　I　bought　the　damsel；　and　now　I　have　not　a　single　dirhem　left　to　spend；　so　I　desire　of　thy　favour　and　goodness　that　thou　lend　me　fifty　dirhems；　to　provide　me　withal；　till　tomorrow；　when　I　will　sell　her　and　repay　thee　out　of　her　price。'　'Willingly；　O　my　son；'　said　the　old　man　and　counted　out　to　him　the　fifty　dirhems。

Then　he　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　thou　art　young　and　the　damsel　is　fair；　and　belike　thy　heart　will　be　taken　with　her　and　it　will　be　grievous　to　thee　to　part　from　her。　Now　thou　hast　nothing　to　live　on　and　the　fifty　dirhems　will　＇soon＇　be　spent　and　thou　wilt　e　to　me　and　I　shall　lend　thee　once　or　twice　and　thrice　and　so　on　up　to　ten　times；　but；　if　thou　e　to　me　after　this；　I　will　not　return　thee　the　legal　salutation　（72）　and　our　friendship　with　thy　father　will　e　to　nought。'　Noureddin　took　the　fifty　dirhems　and　returned　with　them　to　the　damsels　who　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　go　straight　to　the　market　and　fetch　me　twenty　dirhems'　worth　of　silk　of　five　colours　and　with　the　other　thirty　buy　meat　and　bread　and　wine　and　fruit　and　flowers。'　So　he　went　to　the　market　and　buying　her　all　she　sought；　returned　to　her　therewith；　whereupon　she　rose　and　tucking　up　her　sleeves；　cooked　food　after　the　most　skilful　fashion；　and　set　it　before　him。　He　ate　and　she　ate　with　him；　till　they　had　enough；　after　which　she　set　on　the　wine；　and　they　drank；　and　she　ceased　not　to　ply　him　with　drink　and　entertain　him　with　talk；　till　he　became　drunken　and　fell　asleep：　whereupon　she　arose　and　taking　out　of　her　budget　a　sachet　of　Tain　leather；　（73）　opened　it　and　brought　out　a　pair　of　knittingpins；　with　which　she　fell　to　work　and　stinted　not；　till　she　had　made　a　beautiful　girdle。　She　cleaned　it　and　ironed　it　and　folding　it　in　a　piece　of　rag；　laid　it　under　the　pillow。

Then　she　put　off　her　clothes　and　lying　down　beside　Noureddin；　kneaded　him　till　he　awoke　and　found　by　his　side　a　girl　like　virgin　silver；　softer　than　silk　and　more　delicate　than　a　fat　sheep's　tail；　more　conspicuous　than　a　standard　（74）　and　goodlier　than　the　red　camels；　（75）　low　of　stature；　with　swelling　breasts；　eyes　like　gazelles'　eyes　and　brows　like　bended　bows　and　cheeks　like　bloodred　anemones；　slender　belly；　full　of　dimples；　and　a　navel　holding　an　ounce　of　benzoin　ointment；　thighs　like　bolsters　stuffed　with　ostrich　down；　and　between　them　what　the　tongue　fails　to　describe　and　at　mention　whereof　the　tears　pour　forth。　Indeed　it　seemed　as　it　were　she　to　whom　the　poet　alludes　in　the　following　verses：

　　Her　hair　is　night；　her　forehead　day；　her　cheeks　a　blossomed　rose　And　wine　the　honeyed　dews　wherewith　her　mouth　for　ever　flows。
　　Heaven　in　her　favours　is　and　hell　in　her　disdain；　her　teeth　Are　very　pearls　and　in　her　face　the　moon　at　full　doth　glow。　
And　how　excellent　is　another's　saying：

　　She　shih　forth；　a　moon；　and　bends；　a　willowwand；　And　breathes　out　ambergris　and　gazes；　a　gazelle。
　　Meseems　as　if　grief　loved　my　heart　and　when　from　her　Estrangement　I　abide；　possession　to　it　fell。
　　She　hath　a　face　outshines　the　very　Pleiades　And　brows　whose　lustre　doth　the　crescent　moon　excel。　
And　quoth　a　third：

　　Unveiled；　new　moons　they　shine；　and　all　displayed；　like　moons　at　full；　They　burn：　like　boughs　they　sway；　and　eke　like　antelopes　they　turn：
　　And　in　their　midst's　a　blackeyed　maid；　for　whose　sweet　beauty's　sake；　To　be　the　earth　whereon　she　treads　the　Pleiades　would　yearn。　
So　he　turned　to　her　and　pressing　her　to　his　bosom；　sucked　first　her　under　lip　and　then　her　upper　lip　and　slid　his　tongue　into　her　mouth。　Then　he　rose　to　her　and　found　her　an　unpierced　pearl　and　a　filly　that　none　but　he　had　mounted。　So　he　did　away　her　maidenhead　and　had　of　her　the　amorous　delight　and　there　was　contracted　between　them　love　that　might　never　know　breach　nor　severance。　He　rained　down　kisses　upon　her　cheeks；　like　the　falling　of　pebbles　into　water；　and　beset　her　with　stroke　upon　stroke；　like　the　thrusting　of　spears　in　the　mellay；　for　that　Noureddin　still　yearned　after　clipping　of　necks　and　sucking　of　lips　and　letting　down　of　tresses　and　pressing　of　waists　and　biting　of　cheeks　and　pinching　of　breasts；　with　Cairene　motitations　and　Yemani　wrigglings　and　Abyssinian　sobbings　and　Hindi　torsions　and　Nubian　lasciviousness　and　Rifi　（76）　legliftings　and　Damiettan　gruntings　and　Upper　Egyptian　heat　and　Alexandrian　languor；　and　this　damsel　united　in　herself　all　these　attributes；　together　with　excess　of　beauty　and　amorous　grace；　and　indeed　she　was　even　as　saith　of　her　the　poet：

　　By　Allah；　I　will　never　all　my　life　long　fet　her；　my　dear；　And　those　only　will　I　tender　who　shall　bring　her　to　me　to　draw　near！
　　Now　glory　to　her　Maker　and　Creator　be　given　evermore！　As　the　full　moon　of　the　heavens　in　her　aspect　and　her　gait　she　doth　appear。
　　Though　my　sin；　indeed；　be　sore　and　my　offending　in　loving　her　be　great；　I　know　repentance　not；　whilst　of　her　favours　a　hope　to　me　be　clear。
　　She；　indeed；　hath　made　me　weariful　and　wakeful；　full　of　sorrow；　sick　for　love：　Yea；　my　heart　is　all　confounded　at　her　beauty；　dazed　for　trouble　and　for　fear；
　　And　I　go　a　line　of　verse　for　e'er　repeating　that　none　knoweth　'mongst　the　folk　Save　the　man　who　rhymes　and　verses　hath　recited　and　studied　many　a　year。
　　None　knoweth　of　lovelonging　save　he　only　who　hath　its　pains　endured　And　none　but　he　can　tell　the　taste　of　passion；　who's　Proved　its　woe　and　cheer。　
So　Noureddin　lay　with　the　damsel　in　solace　and　delight；　clad　in　the　straitlinked　garments　of　emplacement；　secure　against　the　accidents　of　night　and　day；　and　they　passed　the　night　after　the　goodliest　fashion；　fearing　not；　in　lovedelight；　abundance　of　talk　and　prate。　As　says　of　them　the　right　excellent　poet：

　　Cleave　fast　to　her　thou　lov'st　and　let　the　envious　rail　amain；　For　calumny　and　envy　ne'er　to　favour　love　were　fain。
　　Lo；　the　passionate　hath　made　no　fairer　thing　to　see　Than　when　one　couch　in　its　embrace　enfolders　lovers　twain；
　　Each　to　the　other's　bosom　clasped；　clad　in　their　own　delight；　Whilst　hand　with　hand　and　arm　with　arm　about　their　necks　enchain。
　　Lo；　when　two　hearts　are　straitly　knit　in　passion　and　desire；　But　on　cold　iron　smite　the　folk　that　chide　at　them　in　vain。
　　Thou　that　for　loving　censurest　the　votaries　of　love；　Canst　thou　assain　a　mind　diseased　or　heal　a　cankered　brain？
　　If　in　thy　time　thou　find　but　one　to　love　thee　and　be　true；　I　rede　thee　cast　the　world　away　and　with　that　one　remain。　
When　the　morning　appeared　and　gave　forth　its　light　and　shone；　Noureddin　awoke　from　sleep　and　found　that　she　had　brought　water：　（77）　so　they　washed；　he　and　she；　and　he　acquitted　that　which　behoved　him　of　prayer　to　his　Lord；　after　which　she　brought　him　meat　and　drink；　and　he　ate　and　drank。　Then　she　put　her　hand　under　her　pillow　and　pulling　out　the　girdle；　gave　it　to　Noureddin；　who　said；　'Whence　eth　this　girdle？'　'O　my　lord；'　answered　she；　'it　is　the　silk　thou　boughtest　yesterday　for　twenty　dirhems。　Rise　now　and　go　to　the　Persian　bazaar　and　give　it　to　the　broker；　to　cry　for　sale；　and　sell　it　not　for　less　than　twenty　dinars；　money　down。'　'O　princess　of　fair　ones；'　said　Noureddin；　'how　can　a　thing；　that　cost　twenty　dirhems　and　will　sell　for　as　many　dinars；　be　made　in　a　single　night？'　'O　my　lord；'　replied　she；　'thou　knowest　not　its　value；　but　go　to　the　market　and　give　it　to　the　broker；　and　when　he　cries　it；　its　worth　will　appear　to　thee。'

So　he　carried　the　girdle　to　the　market　and　gave　it　to　the　broker；　bidding　him　cry　it；　whilst　he　himself　sat　down　on　a　bench　before　a　shop。　After　awhile；　the　broker　returned　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　rise　and　take　the　price　of　thy　girdle；　for　it　hath　fetched　twenty　dinars。'　When　Noureddin　heard　this；　he　marvelled　exceedingly　and　shook　with　delight。　Then　he　rose；　between　belief　and　disbelief　to　take　the　money　and　when　he　had　received　it；　he　spent　it　all　on　silk　of　various　colours　and　returning　home；　gave　the　silk　to　the　damsel；　saying；　'Make　this　all　into　girdles　and　teach　me　likewise　how　to　make　them；　that　I　may　work　with　thee；　for　never　in　my　life　saw　I　a　goodlier　craft　than　this　nor　a　more　abounding　in　profit。　By　Allah；　it　is　a　thousand　times　better　than　the　trade　of　A　merchant！'　She　laughed　and　said；　'Go　to　thy　friend　the　druggist　and　borrow　other　thirty　dirhems　of　him；　and　tomorrow　pay　him　the　whole　eighty　from　the　price　of　the　girdles。'

So　he　repaired　to　the　druggist　and　said　to　him；　'O　uncle；　lend　me　other　thirty　dirhems；　and　tomorrow；　God　willing；　I　will　repay　thee　the　whole　fourscore。'　The　old　man　counted　him　out　thirty　dirhems；　with　which　he　went　to　the　market　and　buying　meat　and　bread　and　dessert　and　fruit　and　flowers　as　before；　carried　them　home　to　the　damsel；　whose　name　was　Meryem；　the　girdlemaker。　She　rose　forthright　and　making　ready　rich　meats；　set　them　before　Noureddin；　after　which　she　brought　wine；　and　they　drank　and　plied　each　other　with　liquor。　When　the　wine　began　to　sport　with　their　senses；　his　beauty　and　grace　pleased　her　and　the　elegance　of　his　manners；　and　she　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Unto　a　slender　one；　who　with　a　goblet　came　With　musk　from　out　his　breath　perfumed；　to　give　it　zest。
　　Quoth　I；　'Was't　not　express　from　out　thy　cheeks？'　But　'Nay；'　He　answered；　'when　was　wine　from　roses　yet　exprest？'　
And　she　ceased　not　to　carouse　with　him　and　ply　him　　that　he　should　fill　to　her　and　give　her　to　drink　of　that　whi