第36章 STORY OF ALI BEN BEKKAR AND SHEMSENNEHAR.(16)

When the captain heard my speech，he knew me and alighting，mounted me on his horse；and in like manner did two of his men with Ali and the jeweller. And now my heart is on fire on their account，especially for Alis friend the jeweller： so do thou go to him and salute him and ask him for news of Ali ben Bekkar.'I spoke to her and blamed her and bade her beware，saying'O my lady，have a care for thyself and give up this intrigue.'But she was angered at my words and cried out at me. So I came forth in quest of thee，but found thee not and dared not go to Alis house；so stood watching for thee，that I might ask thee of him and know how it is with him. And I beg thee，of thy favour，to take some money of me，for belike thou borrowedst of thy friends some of the goods，and as they are lost，it behoves thee to make them compensation.'I hear and obey，'answered I. Go on.'And I walked with her till we drew near my house，when she said to me，Wait till I return to thee.'So she went away and presently returned with a bag of money，which she handed to me，saying，O my lord，where shall we meet？Quoth I，I will go to my house at once and suffer hardship for thy sake and contrive how thou mayst win to him，for access to him is difficult at this present.'Let me know where I shall come to thee，'said she，and I answered，In my other house；I will go thither forthright and have the doors repaired and the place made secure again，and henceforth we will meet there.'Then she took leave of me and went her way，whilst I carried the money home，and counting it，found it five thousand diners. I gave my people some of it and made good their loss to all who had lent me aught，after which I took my servants and repaired to my other house，with builders and carpenters，who restored it to its former state. Moreover，I placed my negress-slave there and forgot what had befallen me. Then I repaired to Ali ben Bekkars house，where his servants accosted me，saying，Our lord calls for thee day and night and hath promised his freedom to whichever of us brings thee to him；so we have been in quest of thee everywhere，but knew not where to find thee. Our master is by way of recovery，but he has frequent relapses，and when he revives，he names thee and says，'Needs must ye bring him to me，though but for an instant，'and sinks back into his torpor.'So I went in to Ali ben Bekkar and finding him unable to speak，sat down at his head，whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing me，wept and said，Welcome and fair welcome！'I raised him and making him sit up，strained him to my bosom，and he said，Know，O my brother，that，since I took to my bed，I have not sat up till now： praised be God that I see thee again！'Presently，little by little，I made him stand up and walk a few steps，after which I changed his clothes and he drank some wine. All this he did to please me. Then，seeing him to be somewhat restored，I told him what had befallen me with the slave-girl，none else hearing me，and said to him，I know what thou sufferest；but take heart and be of good courage；for henceforth nought shall betide thee，but what shall rejoice thee and ease thine heart.'He smiled and called for food，which being brought，he signed to his servants，and they withdrew. Then said he to me，O my brother，thou seest what hath befallen me；and he made his excuses to me and enquired how I had fared all that while. I told him all that had befallen me，from first to last，at which he wondered and calling his servants，said，Bring me such and such things.'Accordingly，they brought in rich carpets and hangings and utensils of gold and silver，more than I had lost，and he gave them all to me；so I sent them to my house and abode with him that night. When the day began to break，he said to me，To everything there is an end，and the end of love is death or enjoyment. I am nearer unto death，would I had died ere this befell！For，had not God favoured us，we had been discovered and put to shame. And now I know not what shall deliver me from this my strait，and were it not that I fear God，I would hasten my own death；for know，O my brother，that I am like the bird in the cage and that my life is of a surety perished，by reason of the distresses that have befallen me；yet hath it a fixed period and an appointed term.'And he wept and groaned and repeated the following verses：

Indeed，it sufficeth the lover the time that his tears have run；

As for affliction，of patience it hath him all fordone.

He who concealeth the secrets conjoined us heretofore And now His hand hath severed that which Himself made one.