第83章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(45)

So Num said to her mother-in-law，'O my lady，ask my master to let us go，thee and me，one day，with this my old mother，to pray and worship with the fakirs in the Holy Places.'Presently，Nimeh came in and sat down，whereupon the old woman went up to him and would have kissed his hand，but he forbade her；so she called down blessings on him and left the house.Next day，she came again，in the absence of Nimeh，and said to Num，'We prayed for thee yesterday；but arise now and divert thyself and return ere thy lord come home.'So Num said to her mother-in-law，'I beseech thee，for Gods sake，let me go with this pious woman，that I may look upon the friends of God in the Holy Places and return speedily，ere my lord come.'Quoth Nimehs mother，'I fear lest thy lord know.'By Allah，'said the old woman，'I will not let her sit down；but she shall look，standing on her feet，and not tarry.'So on this wise she took the damsel by guile and carrying her to El Hejjajs palace，bestowed her in a privy chamber and told him of her coming；whereupon he went in to her and looking upon her，saw her to be the loveliest of the people of the day，never had he beheld her like.When Num saw him，she veiled her face from him；but he left her not till he had called his chamberlain，whom he commanded to take fifty horsemen and mounting the damsel on a swift dromedary，carry her to Damascus and there deliver her to the Commander of the Faithful，Abdulmelik ben Merwan.Moreover，he gave him a letter for the Khalif，saying，'Bear him this letter and bring me his answer in all haste.'So the chamberlain took the damsel，all tearful for separation from her lord，and setting out with her for Syria，gave not over journeying till he reached Damascus and sought an audience of the Commander of the Faithful，to whom he delivered the damsel and the letter.The Khalif appointed her a separate apartment and going into his harem，said to his wife，'El Hejjaj has bought me a female slave of the daughters （descendants） of the （ancient） Kings of Cufa，for ten thousand dinars，and has sent her to me with this letter.'May God increase thee of his favour！'answered she.Then the Khalifs sister went into Num and when she saw her，she said，'By Allah，happy the man who hath thee in his house，were thy cost a hundred thousand dinars！'O fair-faced one，'said Num，'what Kings palace is this？'This is the city of Damascus，'answered the princess，'and the palace of my brother，the Commander of the Faithful，Abdulmelik ben Merwan.Didst thou not know this？'By Allah，O my lady，'said Num，'I had no knowledge of this！'And he who sold thee and took thy price，'asked the princess，'did he not tell thee that the Khalif had bought thee？'When Num heard this，she wept and said in herself，'I have been cozened；but，if I speak，none will credit me；so I will hold my peace and take patience，knowing that the relief of God is near.'Then she bent her head for shame，and indeed her cheeks were tanned with the journey and the sun.So the Khalifs sister left her that day and returned to her on the morrow with clothes and necklaces of jewels and dressed her；after which the Khalif came in to her and sat down by her side，and his sister said to him，'Look on this damsel，in whom God hath united every perfection of beauty and grace.'So he said to Num，'Draw back the veil from thy face；'

but she would not unveil，and he beheld not her face.However，he saw her wrists and love of her entered his heart；and he said to his sister，'I will not go in to her for three days，till she be cheered by thy converse.'Then he left her，but Num ceased not to brood over her case and sigh for her separation from Nimeh，till，at eventide，she fell sick of a fever and ate not nor drank；and her face grew pale and her charms faded.They told the Khalif of this，and it grieved him；so he visited her with physicians and men of skill，but none could come at a cure for her.

As for Nimeh，when he returned home，he sat down on his bed and cried，'Ho，Num！'But she answered not；so he rose in haste and called out，but none came to him，for all the women in the house had hidden themselves，for fear of him.Then he went in to his mother，whom he found sitting with her cheek on her hand，and said to her，'O my mother，where is Num？'O my son，'answered she，'she is with one who is worthier than I to be trusted with her，namely，the devout old woman；she went forth with her to visit the fakirs and return.'Since when has this been her wont，'asked Nimeh，'and at what hour went she forth？'Quoth his mother，'She went out early in the morning.'And how camest thou to give her leave for this？'said he，and she replied，'O my son，it was she persuaded me.'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High，the Supreme！' exclaimed Nimeh and going forth，in a state of distraction，repaired to the chief of the police，to whom said he，'Dost thou practice on me and steal my slave-girl away from me？I will assuredly complain of thee to the Commander of the Faithful.'Who has taken her？'asked the chief of the police，and Nimeh answered，'An old woman of such and such a favour，clad in woollen raiment and carrying a rosary of thousands of beads.'Find me the old woman，'rejoined the other，'and I will get thee back thy slave-girl.'Who knows the old woman？'said Nimeh.'And who knows the hidden things save God，may He be glorified and exalted？'replied the official，who knew her for El Hejjajs agent.Quoth Nimeh，'I look to thee for my slave-girl，and El Hejjaj shall judge between thee and me.'And the master of police answered，'Go to whom thou wilt.'