第29章 STORY OF ALI BEN BEKKAR AND SHEMSENNEHAR.(9)
'Yes，'answered I. And she said，'I have a message for him from one who is the dearest of all folk to him.'So she came with me and is now at the door.'Quoth Ali，Bring her in.'So the servant went out and brought her in，and the man who was with Ali ben Bekkar looked at her and found her comely. She came up to Ali and saluting him，talked with him privily；and he from time to time exclaimed with an oath and swore that he had not done as she avouched. Then she took leave of him and went away. When she was gone，Aboulhusns friend，who was a jeweller，took occasion to speak and said to Ali ben Bekkar，Doubtless，the women of the palace have some claim upon thee or thou hast dealings with the Khalifs household？Who told thee of this？asked Ali. I know it by yonder damsel，'replied the jeweller，who is Shemsennehars slave-girl；for she came to me awhile since with a written order for a necklace of jewels；and I sent her a costly one.'When Ali heard this，he was greatly troubled，so that the jeweller feared for his life，but after awhile he recovered himself and said，O my brother，I conjure thee by Allah to tell me truly how thou knowest her.'Do not press me as to this，replied the other；and Ali said，Indeed，I will not desist from thee till thou tell me the truth.'Then，'said the jeweller，I will tell thee all，that thou mayst not distrust me nor be alarmed at what I said，nor will I conceal aught from thee，but will discover to thee the truth of the matter，on condition that thou possess me with the true state of thy case and the cause of thy sickness.'Then he told him all that had passed between Aboulhusn and himself，adding that he had acted thus only out of friendship for him and of his desire to serve him and assuring him that he would keep his secret and venture life and goods in his service. So Ali in turn told him his story and added，By Allah，O my brother，nought moved me to keep my case secret from thee and others but my fear lest the folk should lift the veils of protection from certain persons.'And I，'rejoined the jeweller，desired not to foregather with thee but of the great affection I bear thee and my zeal for thee in every case and my compassion for the anguish thy heart endureth for severance.
Haply，I may be a comforter to thee in the room of my friend Aboulhusn，during his absence. So take heart and be of good cheer.'Ali thanked him and repeated the following verses：
If，I am patient，'I say，since forth from me he went，My tears give me the lie and the stress of my lament.
And how shall I hide the tears，that flow in streams adown The table of my cheek for his evanishment？
Then he was silent awhile，and presently said to the jeweller，Knowest thou what the girl whispered to me？Not I，by Allah，O my lord，'answered he. Quoth Ali，She would have it that I had counselled Aboulhusn to go to Bassora and that I had used this device to put a stop to our correspondence and intercourse. I swore to her that this was not so： but she would not credit me and went away to her mistress，persisting in her injurious suspicions；and indeed I know not what I shall do without Aboulhusn，for she inclined to him and gave ear to his word.'O my brother，'answered the jeweller，I guessed as much from her manner；but，if it please God the Most High，I will help thee to thy desire.'Who can help me，'rejoined Ali，and how wilt thou do with her，when she takes umbrage like a wilding of the desert？By Allah，'exclaimed the jeweller，needs must I do my utmost endeavour to help thee and contrive to make her acquaintance，without exposure or mischief！'Then he asked leave to depart，and Ali said，O my brother，see thou keep my counsel And he looked at him and wept. The jeweller bade him farewell and went away，knowing not what he should do to further his wishes；
but as he went along pondering the matter，he spied a letter lying in the road，and taking it up，found that it bore the following superion，From the least worthy of lovers to the most excellent of beloved ones.'He opened it and found these words written therein：
The messenger brought me a promise of union and delight；But yet that he had mistaken twas constant in my spright.
Wherefore I joyed not： but sorrow was added unto me，For that I knew my envoy had read thee not aright.
To proceed： Know，O my lord，that I am ignorant of the cause of the breaking off of the correspondence between thee and me： but if it arise from cruelty on thy part，I will meet it with fidelity，and if love have departed from thee，I will remain constant to my love in absence for I am with thee even as says the poet：
Be haughty and I will be patient；capricious，Ill bear；turn away，Ill draw near thee；be harsh，Ill be abject；
command，Ill give ear and obey.
As he was reading，up came the slave-girl，looking right and left，and seeing the letter in the jewellers hand，said to him，O my lord，this letter is one I let fall.'He made her no answer，but walked on，and she followed him，till he came to his house，when he entered and she after him，saying，O my lord，give me back the letter，for it fell from me.'He turned to her and said，O good slave-girl，fear not，neither grieve，for verily God the Protector loves to protect [His creatures]；but tell me the truth of thy case，for I am one who keepeth counsel.
I conjure thee by an oath to hide from me nothing of thy ladys affair；for haply God shall help me to further her wishes and make easy what is hard by my hand O my lord，'answered she，indeed a secret is not lost whereof thou art the keeper；nor shall any affair come to nought for which thou strivest. Know that my heart inclines to thee，and do thou give me the letter.'