第94章

In good sooth he hath troubled none but me.'Answered the Wazir，'He came to us in fulsome state and told us of thee a thing which Heaven forfend；and the slave added a lie which it befitteth not to repeat，Allah preserve thy youth and sound sense and tongue of eloquence，and forbid to come from thee aught of offense！'Quoth the Prince，'O Wazir，and what thing did this pestilent slave say of me？'The Minister replied，'He told us that thy wits had taken leave of thee and thou wouldst have it that a young lady lay with thee last night，and thou west instant with him to tell thee whither she went and thou diddest torture him to that end.'But when Kamar alZaman heard these words，he was enraged with sore rage and he said to the Wazir，''Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to do as he did.'And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her per misted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eightyeighth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Kamar alZaman heard the words of the Wazir he was enraged with sore rage and said to him，''Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to do as he did and forbade him to tell me what became of the young lady who lay with me last night. But thou，O Wazir，art cleverer than the eunuch，so do thou tell me without stay or delay，whither went the young lady who slept on my bosom last night；for it was you who sent her and bade her steep in my embrace and we lay together till dawn；but，when I awoke，I found her not. So where is she now？'Said the Wazir，'O my lord Kamar alZaman，Allah's name encompass thee about！By the Almighty，we sent none to thee last night，but thou layest alone，with the door locked on thee and the eunuch sleeping behind it，nor did there come to thee young lady or any other. Regain thy reason，O my lord，and stablish thy senses and occupy not thy mind with vanities.'Rejoined Kamar alZaman who was incensed at his words，'O Wazir，the young lady in question is my beloved，the fair one with the black eyes and rosy cheeks，whom I held in my arms all last night.'So the Minister wondered at his words and asked him，'Didst thou see this damsel last night with shine own eyes on wake or in sleep？'Answered Kamar alZaman，'O ill omened old man，dost thou fancy I saw her with my ears？ Indeed，I saw her with my very eyes and awake，and I touched her with my hand，and I watched by her full half the night，feeding my vision on her beauty and loveliness and grace and tempting looks. But you had schooled her and charged her to speak no word to me；so she feigned sleep and I lay by her side till dawn，when I awoke and found her gone.'Rejoined the Wazir，'O my lord Kamar al Zaman，haply thou sawest this in thy sleep；it must have been a delusion of dreams or a deception caused by eating various kinds of food，or a suggestion of the accursed devils.'Cried the Prince，'O pestilent old man！wilt thou too make a mock of me and tell me this was haply a delusion of dreams，when that eunuch confessed to the young lady，saying，'At once I will return to thee and tell thee all about her？''With these words，he sprang up and rushed at the Wazir and gripped hold of his beard （which was long[273]） and，after gripping it，he twisted his hand in it and haling him off the couch，threw him on the floor. It seemed to the Minister as though his soul departed his body for the violent plucking at his beard；and Kamar alZaman ceased not kicking the Wazir and basting his breast and ribs and cuffing him with open hand on the nape of his neck till he had wellnigh beaten him to death. Then said the old man in his mind，'Just as the eunuchslave saved his life from this lunatic youth by telling him a lie，thus it is even fitter that I do likewise；else he will destroy me. So now for my lie to save myself，he being mad beyond a doubt.'Then he turned to Kamar alZaman and said，'O my lord，pardon me；for indeed thy father charged me to conceal from thee this affair of the young lady；but now I am weak and weary and wounded with funding；for I am an old man and lack strength and bottom to endure blows. Have，therefore，a little patience with me and I will tell thee all and acquaint thee with the story of the young woman.'When the Prince heard this，he left off drubbing him and said，'Wherefore couldst thou not tell me the tale until after shame and blows？ Rise now，unlucky old man that thou art，and tell me her story.'Quoth the Wazir，'Say，dost thou ask of the young lady with the fair face and perfect form？'Quoth Kamar alZaman，'Even so！Tell me，O Wazir，who it was that led her to me and laid her by my side，and who was it that took her away from me by night；and let me know forthright whither she is gone，that I myself may go to her at once. If my father did this deed to me that he might try me by means of that beautiful girl，with a view to our marriage，I consent to wed her and free myself of this trouble；for he did all these dealings with me only because I refused wedlock. But now I consent and I say again，I consent to matrimony：so tell this to my father，O Wazir，and advise him to marry me to that young lady；for I will have none other and my heart loveth none save her alone. Now rise up at once and haste thee to my father and counsel him to hurry on our wedding and bring me his answer within this very hour.'Rejoined the Wazir，''Tis well！'and went forth from him，hardly believing himself out of his hands. Then he set off from the tower，walking and tripping up as he went，for excess of fright and agitation，and he ceased not hurrying till he came in to King Shahriman.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.