第31章 STORY OF ALI BEN BEKKAR AND SHEMSENNEHAR.(11)

Thou knowest that this my hand-maid keeps my counsel and is therefore in high favour with me and I have chosen her to transact my affairs of importance. So let none be worthier in thy sight than she and acquaint her with thine affair. Be of good cheer，for thou art safe from what thou fearest on our account，and there is no shut place but she shall open it to thee. She shall bring thee messages from me to Ali ben Bekkar，and thou shalt be our go-between.'So saying，she rose，scarcely able to stand，and the jeweller forewent her to the door of the house，after which he returned and sat down again in his place，having seen of her beauty what dazzled him and heard of her speech what confounded his wit and witnessed of her grace and courtesy what bewitched him. He sat musing on her perfections till his trouble subsided，when he called for food and ate enough to stay his stomach. Then he changed his clothes and repairing to Ali ben Bekkars house，knocked at the door. The servants hastened to admit him and brought him to their master，whom he found laid upon his bed. When he saw the jeweller，he said to him，Thou hast tarried long from me and hast added concern to my concern.'

Then he dismissed his servants and bade shut the doors，after which he said to the jeweller，By Allah，O my brother，I have not closed my eyes since I saw thee last；for the slave-girl came to me yesterday with a sealed letter from her mistress Shemsennehar；and went on to tell him all that had passed，adding，Indeed，I am perplexed concerning mine affair and my patience fails me： for Aboulhusn was of comfort to me，because he knew the girl.'When the jeweller heard this，he laughed and Ali said，Why dost thou laugh at my words，thou in whom I rejoiced and to whom I looked for succour against the shifts of fortune？

Then he sighed and wept and repeated the following verses：

Many an one laughs at my weeping，whenas he looks on my pain. Had he but suffered as I have，he，also，to weep would be fain.

No one hath ruth on the smitten，for that he is doomed to endure But he who alike is afflicted and long in affliction hath lain My passion，my yearning，my sighing，my care and distraction end woe Are all for a loved one，whose dwelling is in my hearts innermost fane.

He made his abode in my bosom and never will leave it again；And yet with my love to foregather I weary and travail in vain.

I know of no friend I can choose me to stand in his stead unto me，Nor ever，save him，a companion，to cherish and love have I taen.[17]

When the jeweller heard this，he wept also and told him all that had passed betwixt himself and the slave-girl and her mistress，since he left him，whilst Ali gave ear to his speech，and at every fresh word his colour shifted twixt white and red and his body grew now stronger and now weaker，till he came to the end of his tale，when Ali wept and said to him，O my brother，I am a lost man in any event. Would my end were near，that I might be at rest from ail this！But I beg thee，of thy favour，to be my helper and comforter in all my affairs，till God accomplish His will；and I will not gainsay thee in aught.'Quoth the jeweller，Nothing will quench the fire of thy passion save union with her whom thou lovest： and this must not be in this perilous place，but in a house of mine other than in which the girl and her mistress came to me. This place she chose for herself，to the intent that ye may there foregather and complain one to the other of what you have suffered from the pangs of love.'O my lord，