一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第32部分

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　thou　not　bring　her　out　of　the　ship　into　the　city　without　a　veil？　But　talk　availeth　not　at　this　season；　so　rise；　O　my　son；　and　e　up　with　me　to　the　city；　it　may　be　God　will　vouchsafe　thee　a　girl　fairer　than　she；　who　shall　console　thee　for　her。　Praised　be　God　who　hath　not　made　thee　lose　aught　by　her！　Nay；　thou　hast　gained　by　her。　And　bethink　thee；　O　my　son；　that　union　and　separation　are　in　the　hands　of　the　Most　High　King。'　'By　Allah；　O　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'I　can　never　be　consoled　for　her　loss　nor　will　I　ever　leave　seeking　her；　though　I　drink　the　cup　of　death　on　her　account！'　'O　my　son；'　rejoined　the　druggist；　'and　what　dost　thou　purpose　to　do？'　Quoth　Noureddin；　'I　purpose　to　return　to　the　land　of　the　Franks　and　enter　the　city　of　France　and　venture　myself　there；　e　what　may。'　'O　my　son；'　said　the　druggist；　'quoth　the　current　byword；　〃Not　always　es　the　pitcher　off　unbroken；〃　and　if　they　did　thee　no　hurt　before；　belike　they　will　slay　thee　this　time；　more　by　token　that　they　know　thee　now　but　too　well。'　'O　my　uncle；'　replied　Noureddin；　'let　me　set　out　and　be　slain　presently　for　the　love　of　her；　and　not　die　slowly　of　despair　for　her　loss。'

Now；　as　fate　would　have　it；　there　was　then　a　ship　in　the　port　ready　to　sail；　for　its　passengers　had　made　an　end　of　their　affairs　and　the　sailors　had　pulled　up　the　mooring　stakes；　when　Noureddin　embarked　in　her。　So　they　put　out　to　sea　and　sailed　many　days；　with　fair　wind　and　weather；　till　they　fell　in　with　certain　of　the　Frank　cruisers；　that　were　scouring　those　waters　and　seizing　upon　all　ships　they　saw；　in　their　fear　for　the　king's　daughter　from　the　Muslim　corsairs：　and　as　often　as　they　made　prize　of　a　Muslim　ship；　they　carried　all　her　people　to　the　King　of　France；　who　put　them　to　death　in　acplishment　of　the　vow　he　had　made　on　account　of　his　daughter　Meryem。　So　they　boarded　the　ship　in　which　was　Noureddin　and　taking　him　and　the　rest　of　the　pany　prisoners；　to　the　number　of　a　hundred　Muslims；　carried　them　to　the　king；　who　bade　cut　their　throats。　So　they　slaughtered　them　all；　one　after　another；　till　there　was　none　left　but　Noureddin；　whom　the　headsman　had　left　till　the　last；　in　pity　of　his　tender　age　and　slender　shape。

When　the　king　saw　him；　he　knew　him　right　well　and　said　to　him；　'Art　thou　not　Noureddin；　that　was　with　us　before？'　'I　was　never　with　thee；'　answered　he；　'and　my　name　is　not　Noureddin；　but　Ibrahim。'　'Thou　liest；'　rejoined　the　king；　'thou　art　Noureddin；　he　whom　I　gave　to　the　old　woman；　the　prioress；　to　help　her　in　the　service　of　the　church。'　But　Noureddin　said；　'O　my　lord；　my　name　is　Ibrahim。'　Quoth　the　king；　'Wait　awhile；'　and　bade　his　knights　fetch　the　old　woman　forthright；　saying；　'When　she　es　and　sees　thee；　she　will　know　if　thou　be　Noureddin　or　not。'　At　this　juncture；　in　came　the　one　eyed　vizier　and　kissing　the　earth　before　the　king；　said　to　him；　'Know；　O　king；　that　the　palace　is　finished；　and　thou　knoweth　that　I　vowed　to　the　Messiah　that；　when　I　had　made　an　end　of　building　it；　I　would　slaughter　thirty　Muslims　before　its　gate；　wherefore　I　am　e　to　get　them　of　thee；　that　I　may　sacrifice　them　and　so　fulfil　my　vow　to　the　Messiah。　They　shall　be　at　my　charge；　by　way　of　loan　and　whenas　there　e　prisoners　to　my　hands；　I　will　give　thee　other　thirty　in　their　stead。'　'By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith；'　replied　the　king；　'I　have　but　this　one　captive　left！'　And　he　pointed　to　Noureddin。　'Take　him　and　slaughter　him　now；　and　the　rest　I　will　send　thee；　whenas　there　e　to　my　hands　＇other＇　prisoners　of　the　Muslims。'

So　the　vizier　took　Noureddin　and　carried　him　to　his　palace；　thinking　to　slaughter　him　on　the　threshold　of　the　gate；　but　the　painters　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　we　have　two　days'　painting　yet　to　do；　so　have　patience　with　us　and　delay　to　slaughter　this　captive；　till　we　have　made　an　end　of　our　work；　belike　by　that　time　the　rest　of　the　thirty　will　e；　so　thou　mayst　despatch　them　all　at　one　but　and　acplish　thy　vow　in　one　day。'　So　the　vizier　bade　imprison　him　and　they　carried　him　to　the　stables　and　left　him　there　in　chains；　hungering　and　thirsting　and　making　moan　for　himself；　for　indeed　he　saw　death　face　to　face。

Now　it　chanced；　by　the　ordinance　of　destiny　and　foreordered　fated　that　the　king　had　two　chargers；　own　brothers；　（96）　such　as　the　kings　of　the　Chosroes　might　sigh　in　vain　to　possess　themselves　of　one　of　them；　they　were　called　Sabic　（97）　and　Lahic　（98）　and　one　of　them　was　pure　white　and　the　other　black　as　the　darksome　night。　And　all　the　kings　of　the　isles　had　said；　'Whoso　stealeth　us　one　of　these　horses；　we　will　give　him　all　he　seeketh　of　red　gold　and　pearls　and　jewels；'　but　none　could　avail　unto　this。　Now　one　of　them　fell　sick　of　a　jaundice　and　there　came　a　whiteness　over　his　eyes；　（99）　whereupon　the　king　sent　for　all　the　farriers　in　the　city　to　treat　him；　but　they　all　failed　of　his　cure。　Presently　the　vizier　came　in　to　the　king　and　finding　him　troubled；　because　of　the　horse；　thought　to　do　away　his　concern　and　said　to　him；　'O　king；　give　me　the　horse　and　I　will　cure　him。'　The　king　consented　and　caused　carry　the　horse　to　the　stable　wherein　was　Noureddin；　but；　when　he　missed　his　brother；　he　cried　out　with　an　exceeding　great　cry　and　neighed；　so　that　he　affrighted　all　the　folk。　The　vizier；　seeing　that　he　did　thus　but　because　of　his　separation　from　his　brother；　sent　to　tell　the　king；　who　said；　'If　this；　which　is　but　a　beast；　cannot　brook　to　be　parted　from　his　brother；　how　should　it　be　with　those　that　have　reason？'　And　he　bade　his　grooms　take　the　other　horse　and　put　him　with　his　brother　in　the　vizier's　stable；　saying；　'Tell　the　vizier　that　the　two　horses　are　a　present　from　me　to　him；　for　the　sake　of　my　daughter　Meryem。'

Noureddin　was　lying　in　the　stable；　chained　and　shackled；　when　they　brought　the　horses；　and　saw　that　one　of　them　had　a　web　in　his　eyes。　Now　he　had　some　knowledge　of　horses　and　of　the　treatment　of　their　diseases；　so　he　said　in　himself；　'By　Allah；　this　is　my　opportunity！　I　will　go　to　the　vizier　and　lie　to　him；　saying；　〃I　will　cure　thee　this　horse：〃　then　will　I　do　with　him　somewhat　that　will　destroy　his　eyes；　and　he　will　kill　me　and　I　shall　be　at　rest　from　this　wretched　life。'　So　he　waited　till　the　vizier　entered　the　stable；　to　look　upon　the　horse；　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　what　wilt　thou　give　me；　if　I　cure　this　horse；　and　make　his　eyes　whole　again？'　'As　my　bead　liveth；'　replied　the　vizier；　'an　thou　cure　him；　I　will　spare　thy　life　and　give　thee　leave　to　ask　a　boon　of　me！'　And　Noureddin　said；　'O　my　lord；　mand　my　hands　to　be　unbound。'　So　the　vizier　bade　unbind　him　and　he　rose　and　taking　virgin　glass　（100）　brayed　it　and　mixed　it　with　unslaked　lime　and　onionjuice。　Then　he　applied　the　whole　to　the　horse's　eyes　and　bound　them　up；　saying　in　himself：　'Now　will　his　eyes　be　put　out　and　they　will　kill　me　and　I　shall　be　at　rest　from　this　wretched　life。'　And　he　passed　the　night　with　a　heart　free　of　care　and　trouble；　humbling　himself　to　God　the　Most　High　and　saying；　'O　Lord；　in　Thy　knowledge　is　that　which　dispenseth　with　asking！'

When　the　day　came　and　the　sun　shone　out　upon　the　hills　and　valleys；　the　vizier　came　to　the　stable　and　loosing　the　bandage　from　the　horse's　eyes；　found　them　＇altogether　cured　and＇　handsomer　than　ever；　by　the　ordinance　of　the　King　who　opeh　＇unto　His　servants　the　fates　of　sustenance　and　mercy＇。　So　he　said　to　Noureddin；　'O　Muslim；　never　in　the　world　saw　I　the　like　of　thee　for　the　excellence　of　thy　skill。　By　the　virtue　of　the　Messiah　and　the　True　Faith；　thou　fillest　me　with　wonder；　for　all　the　farriers　of　our　land　have　failed　to　heal　this　horse's　eyes！'　Then　be　did　off　his　shackles　with　his　own　hand　and　clad　him　in　a　costly　dress　and　made　him　his　master　of　the　horse。　Moreover；　he　appointed　him　stipends　and　allowances　and　lodged　him　in　an　apartment　over　the　stables。　So　Noureddin　abode　awhile；　eating　and　drinking　and　making　merry　and　manding　and　forbidding　those　who　tended　the　horses；　and　whoso　neglected　them　or　failed　to　fodder　those　tied　up　in　the　stable　wherein　was　his　service；　he　would　throw　down　and　beat　grievously　and　lay　him　by　the　legs　in　shackles　of　iron。　Moreover；　he　used　every　day　to　go　down　to　the　two　chargers　and　rub　them　down　with　his　own　hand；　by　reason　of　that　which　he　knew　of　their　value　in　the　vizier's　eyes　and　his　love　for　them；　where