一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第23部分

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　　Sweet　his　favours；　but　lovers　still　choke；　if　he　give　Them　to　drink　of　the　gall　of　his　rigours　austere。
　　His　brow　is　perfection；　perfection　his　shape；　And　my　love　is　perfection；　so　true　and　sincere。
　　The　folds　of　his　raiment　the　new　moon　（69）　enclose；　From　his　collars　she　Rises；　as　if　from　a　sphere。
　　His　eyes　and　his　moles　and　my　tears　are　as　nights　Upon　nights　upon　nights；　full　of　blackness　and　fear；
　　And　his　eyebrows　and　face　and　my　body　（70）　new　moon　On　new　moon　on　new　moon　to　the　aspect　appear。
　　His　eyes　fill　his　lovers　a　goblet　of　wine；　Which；　though　bitter；　is　sweet　to　my　sorrowful　cheer。
　　With　a　smile　of　his　mouth；　on　the　day　of　delights　My　thirst　he　allayed　with　sweet　water　and　clear。
　　My　slaughter's　with　him；　ay；　the　shedding　my　blood　Is　thrice　lawful　to　him　whom　I　tender　so　dear。　
Then　said　she　to　Noureddin；　'God　on　thee；　O　my　lord；　am　I　not　handsome？'　And　he　answered；　'O　princess　of　fair　ones；　is　there　in　the　world　a　goodlier　than　thou？'　'Then　why；'　rejoined　she；　'seest　thou　the　other　merchants　bid　for　me　and　art　silent　nor　sayest　a　word　neither　addest　one　dinar　to　my　price？　It　would　seem　I　please　thee　not；　O　my　lord！'　Quoth　he；　'O　my　lady；　were　I　in　mine　own　land；　I　had　bought　thee　with　all　that　my　hand　possesseth　of　good。'　'O　my　lord；'　replied　she；　'I　would　not　have　thee　buy　me　against　thy　will；　yet；　didst　thou　but　add　somewhat　to　my　price；　it　would　fort　my　heart；　though　thou　buy　me　not；　so　the　merchants　may　say；　〃Were　not　this　girl　handsome；　yonder　merchant　of　Cairo　had　not　bidden　for　her；　for　the　people　of　Cairo　are　connoisseurs　in　slave　girls。〃'

Her　words　abashed　Noureddin　and　he　blushed　and　said　to　the　broker；　'How　stand　the　biddings　for　her？'　'Her　price　hath　reached　nine　hundred　and　sixty　dinars；'　answered　he；　'besides　brokerage。　As　for　the　Sultan's　dues；　they　fall　on　the　seller。'　Quoth　Noureddin；　'Let　me　have　her　for　a　thousand　dinars；　price　and　brokerage。'　And　the　damsel　hastened　to　leave　the　broker；　saying；　'I　sell　myself　to　this　handsome　young　man　for　a　thousand　dinars。'　Quoth　one；　'We　sell　to　him；'　and　another；　'He　deserves　her；'　and　a　third；　'Accursed；　son　of　accursed；　is　he　who　bids　and　does　not　buy！'　and　a　fourth；　'By　Allah；　they　befit　one　another！'　Then；　before　Noureddin　could　think；　the　broker　fetched　cadis　and　witnesses；　who　drew　up　a　contract　of　sale　and　purchase；　which　the　broker　handed　to　Noureddin；　saying；　'Take　thy　slavegirl　and　may　God　make　her　a　blessing　to　thee；　for　she　beseemeth　none　but　thee　and　none　but　thou　beseemeth　her。'　And　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Unto　him　fair　fortune　all　unbidden　hies；　Drags　her　skirts　（71）　tohimward　on　obsequious　wise。

　　None　but　she　befitteth　him　and　none　but　he　Of　the　maid　is　worthy；　underneath　the　skies。

Noureddin　was　abashed　before　the　merchants；　so　he　paid　down　the　thousand　dinars；　that　he　had　left　with　his　friend　the　druggist；　and　taking　the　girl；　carried　her　to　the　house　in　which　the　latter　had　lodged　him。　When　she　entered　and　saw　nothing　but　patched　carpets　and　worn　out　rugs；　she　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　have　I　no　value　in　thine　eyes　and　am　I　not　worthy　that　thou　shouldst　carry　me　to　thine　own　house　wherein　are　thy　goods；　that　thou　bringest　me　into　thy　servant's　lodging？　Why　dost　thou　not　carry　me　to　thy　father's　dwelling？'　'By　Allah；　O　princess　of　fair　ones；'　answered　he；　'this　is　my　house　wherein　I　dwell；　but　it　belongs　to　an　old　man；　a　druggist　of　this　city；　who　hath　set　it　apart　for　me　and　lodged　me　therein。　I　told　thee　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　that　I　am　of　the　people　of　Cairo。'　'O　my　lord；'　rejoined　she；　'the　least　of　houses　will　serve　till　thy　return　to　thy　native　place；　but；　God　on　thee；　O　my　lord；　go　now　and　fetch　me　somewhat　of　roast　meat　and　wine　and　fruit　and　dessert。'　'By　Allah；　O　princess　of　fair　ones；'　answered　he；　'I　had　no　money　with　me　but　the　thousand　dinars　I　paid　down　to　thy　price！　The　few　dirhems　I　had　I　spent　yesterday。'　Quoth　she；　'Hast　thou　no　friend　in　the　town；　of　whom　thou　mayst　borrow　fifty　dirhems　and　bring　them　to　me；　that　I　may　tell　thee　what　thou　shalt　do　therewith？'　And　he　said；　'I　have　no　friend　but　the　druggist。'

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