第53章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(15)

Me-thought this was my fathers doing to try me，for that he had consulted me，when the kings sought me of him in marriage，and I had refused.It was this idea that withheld me from arousing him，for I thought that if I did aught or embraced him，he would most like tell my father.When I awoke in the morning，I found his ring on my finger in place of my own，which he had taken；

and，O my brother，my heart was taken with him at first sight；

and for the violence of my passion and longing，I have never since known the taste of sleep and have no occupation save weeping and repeating verses night and day.This，then，O my brother，is the story of the cause of my （pretended） madness.'

Then she poured forth tears and repeated the following verses：

Love has banished afar my delight；they are fled With a fawn that hath hearts for a pasturing-stead.

To him lovers blood is a trifle，for whom My soul is a-wasting for passion and dread.

Im jealous for him of my sight and my thought；My heart is a spy on my eyes and my head.

His eyelashes dart at us death-dealing shafts；The hearts that they light on are ruined and dead.

Whilst yet there is left me a share in the world，Shall I see him，I wonder，or ever Im sped？

I fain would conceal what I suffer for him；Tis shown to the spy by the tears that I shed.

When near，his enjoyment is distant from me： But his image is near，when afar he doth tread.

See then，O my brother，'added she，how thou mayest aid me in this my affliction.'Merzewan bowed his head awhile，marvelling and knowing not what to do，then raised it and said to her，I believe all thou hast said to be true，though the case of the young man passes my imagination： but I will go round about all countries and seek for what may heal thee；peradventure God shall appoint thy deliverance to be at my hand.Meanwhile，take patience and be not disquieted.'So saying，he took leave of her，after he had prayed that she might be vouchsafed constancy，and left her repeating the following verses：

Thine image in my thoughts fares as a pilgrim aye，For all thy stead and mine are distant many a day.

The wishes of my heart do bring thee near to me For gainst the speed of thought what is the levins ray？

Depart thou not，that art the lustre of mine eyes；Yea，when thourt far removed，all void of light are they.

He returned to his mothers house，where he passed the night，and on the morrow，after furnishing himself for his journey，he set out and travelled from city to city and from island to island for a whole month.Everywhere he heard talk of the princess Budours madness，till he came to a city named Teyreb and seeking news of the townsfolk，so haply he might light on a cure for his foster-sisters malady，heard that Kemerezzeman，son of King Shehriman，was fallen sick and afflicted with melancholy madness.

He enquired the name of this princes capital and was told that it stood on the Islands of Khalidan and was distant thence a whole months journey by sea and six by land.So he took passage in a ship that was bound thither，and they sailed with a favouring breeze for a whole month，till they came in sight of the city and there remained for them but to enter the harbour；

when there came out on them a tempestuous wind which carried away the masts and rent the canvas，so that the sails fell into the sea and the ship foundered，with all on board.Each looked to himself，and as for Merzewan，the current carried him under the Kings palace，wherein was Kemerezzeman.As fate would have it，it was the day on which the King gave audience to his grandees and officers，and he was sitting，with his sons head in his lap，whilst an eunuch whisked away the flies.The prince had not spoken，neither had he eaten nor drunk for two days，and he was grown thinner than a spindle.Now the Vizier was standing near the window giving on the sea and raising his eyes，saw Merzewan at the last gasp for struggling with the waves；whereupon his heart was moved to pity for him and he drew near to the King and said to him，O King，I crave thy leave to go down to the court of the pavilion and open the water-gate，that I may rescue a man who is at the point of drowning in the sea and bring him forth of peril into deliverance；peradventure，on this account，God may ease thy son of his affliction.'O Vizier，'replied Shehriman，enough is that which has befallen my son through thee and on thine account.Belike，if thou rescue this drowning man，he will look on my son and come to know our affairs and exult over me；

but I swear by Allah，that，if he come hither and see my son and after go out and speak of our secrets to any，I will assuredly strike off thy head before his；for thou art the cause of all that hath befallen us，first and last.Now do as thou wilt.'

The Vizier rose and opening the postern，descended to the causeway；then walked on twenty steps and came to the sea，where he saw Merzewan nigh unto death.So he put out his hand to him and catching him by the hair of his head，drew him ashore，in a state of unconsciousness，with belly full of water and eyes starting from his head.The Vizier waited till he came to himself，when he pulled off his wet clothes and clad him in a fresh suit，covering his head with one of his servants turbans；

after which he said to him，I have been the means of saving thee from drowning： do not thou requite me by causing my death and thine own.'How so？asked Merzewan；and the Vizier answered，Thou art now about to go up and pass among Amirs and Viziers，all silent and speaking not，because of Kemerezzeman，the Kings son.'When Merzewan heard the name of Kemerezzeman，he knew that this was he of whom he came in search，but he feigned ignorance and said to the Vizier，And who is Kemerezzeman？Quoth the Vizier，He is the Kings son and lies sick on his couch，restless，eating not nor drinking neither sleeping night nor day；