第80章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(42)

Meanwhile，Queen Merjaneh，coming up with Behrams ship，questioned him of Asaad；but he swore to her that he was not with him and that he knew nothing of him.She searched the ship，but found no trace of Asaad，so took Behram and carrying him back to her castle，would have put him to death；but he ransomed himself from her with all his good and his ship and she released him and his men.They went forth from her，hardly believing in their escape，and fared on ten days journey，till they came to their own city and found the gate shut，it being eventide.So they made for the burial-ground，thinking to lie the night there，and going round about the tombs，as fate would have it，saw that，in which Asaad lay，open；whereat Behram marvelled and said，'I must look into this tomb.'Then he entered and found Asaad lying asleep，with his head on his sleeve；so he raised his head and looking in his face，knew him for him on whose account he had lost his goods and his ship，and said，Art thou yet alive？

Then he bound him and gagged him，without further parley，and carried him to his house，where he clapped heavy shackles on his feet and lowered him into the underground dungeon aforesaid，affected to the tormenting of Muslims，bidding a daughter of his，by name Bustan，torture him night and day，till the next year，when they would again visit the Mountain of Fire and offer him up as a sacrifice there.Then he beat him grievously and locking the dungeon door upon him，gave the keys to his daughter.By and by，she opened the door and went down to beat him，but finding him a comely sweet-faced youth，with arched brows and melting black eyes，fell in love with him and said to him，What is thy name？My name is Assad，[72] answered he.'Mayst thou indeed be happy，'exclaimed she，and happy be thy days！Thou deservest not torture and blows，and I see thou hast been unjustly entreated.'And she comforted him with kind words and loosed his bonds.Then she questioned him of the faith of Islam，and he told her that it was the true and orthodox faith and that our lord Mohammed had approved himself by surpassing miracles and manifest signs and that the [worship of] fire was not profitable，but harmful；and he went on to expound to her the tenets of Islam，till she was persuaded and the love of the True Faith entered her heart.Then （for God the Most High had filled her with love of Asaad），she made profession of the faith and became of the people of felicity.After this，she brought him meat and drink and talked with him and they prayed together： moreover，she made him chicken-broths and fed him therewith，till he regained strength and his sickness left him and he was restored to health.

One day，as she stood at the door of the house，she heard the crier proclaiming aloud and saying，Whoso hath with him a handsome young man，whose favour is thus and thus，and bringeth him forth，shall have all he seeketh of wealth；but if any have him and discover it not，he shall be hanged over his own door and his goods shall be confiscated and his blood go for nought.'Now Asaad had acquainted her with his whole history： so，when she heard the crier，she knew that it was he who was sought for and going down to him，told him the news.Then she went forth with him to the palace of the Vizier，whom when Asaad saw，he exclaimed，By Allah，this is my brother Amjed！'And threw himself upon him；whereupon Amjed also knew him and they embraced each other and lay awhile insensible，whilst the Viziers officers stood round them.When they came to themselves，Amjed took his brother and carried him to the Sultan，to whom he related the whole story，and the Sultan charged him to plunder Behrams house and take himself.So Amjed despatched thither a company of men，who sacked the house and took Behram and brought his daughter to the Vizier，who received her with all honour，for Asaad had told his brother all the torments he had suffered and the kindness that she had done him.Moreover，Amjed，in his turn，related to Asaad all that had passed between the lady and himself and how he had escaped hanging and become Vizier；and they made moan，each to the other，of the anguish they had suffered for separation.Then the Sultan sent for Behram and bade strike off his head；but he said，O most mighty King，art thou indeed resolved to put me to death？Yes，'replied the King，except thou save thyself by becoming a Muslim.'And Behram said，O King，have patience with me a little.'Then he bowed his head awhile and presently raising it again，made profession of the faith and avowed himself a Muslim at the hands of the Sultan.They all rejoiced at his conversion and Amjed and Asaad told him all that had befallen them，whereat he wondered and said，O my lords，make ready for the journey and I will depart with you and carry you back to your fathers court in a ship.'At this they rejoiced and wept sore；but he said，O my lords，weep not for your departure，for ye shall be re-united [with those you love]，even as were Nimeh and Num.'And what befell Nimeh and Num？asked they.'It is told，'replied Behram，（but God alone is all-knowing），that Story of Nimeh Ben Er Rebya and Num His Slave-girl There lived once in the city of Cufa a man called Er Rebya ben Hatim，who was one of the chief men of the town，rich in goods and prosperous，and God had vouchsafed him a son，whom he named Nimet Allah.[73] One day，being in the slave-dealers mart，he saw a female slave exposed for sale，with a little girl of wonderful beauty and grace in her hand.So he beckoned to the broker and said to him，'What is the price of this woman and her child？'Fifty dinars，'answered he.'Write the contract of sale，'said Er Rebya，'and take the money and give it to her owner.'Then he gave the broker the price and his brokerage and taking the woman and her child，carried them to his house.When his wife saw the slave，she said to her husband （who was the son of her fathers brother），'O my cousin，what is this damsel？'