一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第68部分
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ht the barber brought him a full dish from the captain's table。
They fared thus twenty days； at the end of which time the galleon cast anchor in the harbour of a city； whereupon they took leave of the captain and landing； entered the town and took them a lodging in a khan。 Abousir furnished the room and buying a cooking pot and a platter and spoons and what else they needed； fetched meat and cooked it； but Aboukir fell asleep the moment he entered the khan and awoke not till his panion aroused him and set the tray of food before him。 When he awoke； he ate and saying to Abousir； 'Blame me not； for I am giddy；' fell asleep again。 Thus he did forty days； whilst； every day； the barber took his tools and making the round of the city； wrought for that which fell to his lot； and returning； found the dyer asleep and aroused him。 No sooner did he wake than he fell ravenously upon the food； eating as one who cannot have his fill nor be content； after which he went to sleep again。
On this wise he passed other forty days； and whenever the barber said to him； 'Sit up and shake off this torpor and go forth and take an airing in the city； for it is a bright and pleasant place and hath not its equal among the cities；' he would answer； saying； 'Blame me not； for I am ＇still＇ giddy。' Abousir cared not to vex him nor give him hard words； but； on the fortyfirst day； he himself fell sick and could not go abroad； so he pressed the porter of the khan into his service； and he did their occasions and brought them meat and drink four days； whilst Aboukir did nothing but eat and sleep。 At the end of this time； the barber's sickness redoubled on him； till he lost his senses for stress thereof； and Aboukir； feeling the pangs of hunger； arose and sought in his rade's clothes； where he found a thousand paras。 So he took them and shutting the door of the chamber upon Abousir； went out； without telling any； and the doorkeeper of the inn was then at market and thus saw him not go out。
Aboukir betook himself to the bazaar and clad himself in rich apparel； at a cost of five hundred paras； then he proceeded to walk about and divert himself by viewing the place； which he found a city whose like was not among cities； but he noted that all its people were clad in clothes of white and blue； without other colour。 Presently he came to a dyer's and seeing nought but blue in his shop； pulled out to him a kerchief and said； 'O master； take this kerchief and dye it and take thy hire。' Quoth the dyer； 'The cost of dying this will be twenty dirhems。' 'In our country；' said Aboukir； 'we dye it for two。' 'Then go and dye it in your own country；' answered the dyer。 'As for me； my price is twenty dirhems and I will not bate a tittle thereof。' 'What colour wilt thou dye it？' asked Aboukir； and the dyer said； 'I will dye it blue。' Quoth Aboukir； 'But I want it dyed red。' 'I know not how to dye red；' answered the dyer。 'Then dye it green；' rejoined Aboukir。 But the dyer said； 'I know not how to dye green。' 'Yellow；' said Aboukir。 'Nor yet yellow；' answered the dyer； and Aboukir went on to name the different colours to him； one after another； till the dyer said； 'We are here in this city forty masterdyers； neither more nor less； and when one of us dies； we teach his son the craft。 If he leave no son； we abide wanting one； and if he leave two sons； we teach one of them the craft； and if he die； we teach his brother。 This our craft is straitly ordered and we know not how to dye aught but blue。'
Then said Aboukir； 'Know that I also am a dyer and know how to dye all colours； and I would have thee take me into thy service on hire； and I will teach thee my art； so thou mayst glory therein over all the pany of dyers。' But the dyer answered； 'We never admit a stranger into our craft。' 'And what if I open a dyery for myself？' asked Aboukir。 'We will not suffer thee to do that；' replied the other； whereupon he left him and going to a second dyer； made him the like proposal； but he returned him the same answer as the first； and he ceased not to go from one to another； till he had made the round of the whole forty； but they would not accept of him either to master or journeyman。 Then he repaired to the Syndic of the Dyers and told him what had passed； and he said； 'We admit no stranger into our craft。'
With this Aboukir became exceeding wroth and going up to the king of the city； made plaint to him； saying； 'O king of the age； I am a stranger and a dyer by trade；' and he told him what had passed between himself and the dyers of the town； adding； 'I can dye various kinds of red； such as rosecolour and carnation； （189） and various kinds of green； such as grassgreen and pistachiogreen and olive and parrot's wing； and various kinds of black； such as coalblack and blueblack； and various shades of yellow； such as orange and lemoncolour；' and went on to name to him the rest of the colours。 Then said he； 'O king of the age； there is not a dyer in thy city who can avail to any one of these colours； for they know not how to dye aught but blue； yet will they not admit me amongst them； either as master or journeyman。' 'Thou sayst sooth for that matter；' answered the king； 'but I will open thee a dyery and give thee capital and have thou no care for them； for whoso offereth to do thee hindrance； I will hang him over the door of his shop。
Then he sent for builders and said to them； 'Go round about the city with this master； and whatsoever place pleases him； be it shop or khan or what not； turn out its occupier and build him a dyery after his wish。 Whatsoever he bids you； that do ye and gainsay him not in aught。' And he clad him in a handsome suit and gave him two white slaves； to serve him； and a horse with housings of brocade and a thousand dinars； saying； 'Provide thyself with this； against the building be pleted。' So Aboukir donned the dress and mounting the horse； became as he were an amir。 Moreover the king assigned him a house and bade furnish it； so they furnished it for him and he took up his abode therein。
On the morrow he mounted and rode through the city； looking about him； whilst the architects went before him； till he saw a place that pleased him and said； 'This place is good；' whereupon they turned out the owner thereof and carried him to the king； who gave him； to the price of his holding； what more than contented him。 Then the builders fell to work； whilst Aboukir said to them； 'Build thus and thus and do this and that；' till they built him a dyery that had not its like； whereupon he presented himself before the king and informed him that they had made an end of building the dyery and that there needed but the price of the dyestuffs and gear to set it awork。 Quoth the king； 'Take these four thousand dinars to thy capital and let me see the oute of thy dyery。' So he took the money and went to the market； where； finding dyestuffs （190） plentiful and ＇wellnigh＇ valueless； he bought all that he needed of materials for dyeing； and the king sent him five hundred pieces of stuff； which he proceeded to dye of all colours and spread them before the door of his dyery。
When the folk passed by the shop； they saw this wonderful sight； whose like they had never in their lives seen； so they crowded about the door； staring and questioning the dyer and saying； 'O master； what are tne names of these colours？' Quoth he； 'This is red and that yellow and the other green；' and so on with the rest of the colours。 And they fell to bringing him stuffs and saying to him； 'Dye this for us like this and that and take what thou seekest ＇to thy hire＇。' When he had made an end of dyeing the king's stuffs； he took them and went up with them to the divan； and when the king saw them he rejoiced in them and bestowed abundant largesse on the dyer。 Moreover； all the troops brought him stuffs； saying； 'Dye for us thus and thus；' and he dyed for them to their wish； and they threw him gold and silver。 On this wise his fame spread abroad and his shop was called the Sultan's dyery。 Good came in to him at every door and he became the owner of slaves； male and female； and amassed store of wealth。 None of the other dyers dared say a word to him； but they used to e to him； kissing his hands and excusing themselves to him
