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第3部分

一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第3部分


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l thief; if he steal; stealeth not but what is worth 'the adventuring of' his neck; and every woman who doth lewdness with other than her husband is styled a thief; so; if it must be thus and no help; thou shalt give me whatsoever my heart desireth of money and raiment and trinkets and what not。' Quoth he; 'An thou soughtest of me the world and all that is therein; from East to West; it were but a little thing; pared with thy favour。' And she said; 'I will have of thee three suits; each worth a thousand dinars; and pearls and jewels and jacinths; and I require of thee; to boot; that thou swear to me that thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any and that thou wilt pany with none but me; and I in turn will swear to thee a true oath that I will never play thee false。'

So he swore to her the oath she required and she swore to him; and they agreed upon this; after which she said to her nurse Huboub; 'Tomorrow go thou with Mesrour to his lodging and seek somewhat of musk and ambergris and aloes and rosewater and see what he hath。 If he be a man of condition; we will take him into favour; else will we leave him。' Then said she to him; 'O Mesrour; I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and aloeswood; so do thou send it me by Huboub。' And he answered; 'I hear and obey; my shop is at thy mandment。' Then the wine went round between them and their session was pleasant; but Mesrour's heart was troubled for the passion and longing that possessed him; and when Zein el Mewasif saw him in this plight; she said to her slavegirl Sukoub; 'Arouse Mesrour from his stupor; mayhap he will awake。' 'Willingly;' answered Sukoub and sang the following verses:

  An if thou be in love; bring gold and gear and in thy lays Set forth thy love; so thou mayst win the aim of thine essays
  And taste the favours of a fawn; softeyed and smilinglipped; Whose shape is as the cassiabranch; when to the breeze it sways。
  Look on her; in her charms thou'lt see matter for wonderment And pour thy life out; ere the term appointed to thy days。
  These be the attributes of love; an thou but knewst thereof; But; if the gold delude thee; leave the gold and go thy ways。 
Mesrour apprehended 'her meaning' and said; 'I hear and understand。 Never was stress but after came relief; and He who afflicteth will order 'the issue'。' Whereupon Zein el Mewasif recited the following:

  Awake; O Mesrour; from love's stupor; for lo; I fear lest our love bring thee travail and woe。
  Sure proverbs on us East and West shall be made And the folk our report for a wonder shall know。
  Leave loving my like; or for sure thou'lt have blame。Why cleav'st thou to me of all women? I trow;
  One wellborn shouldst thou love。Thou'lt a byword bee And find not a pitying friend high or low
  I'm a Pharisee's child and the folk fear my wrath: Would the term of my life were acplished; heigho! 
And Mesrour answered her with these verses:

  Leave me to my affliction; to love thee I'm content; And blame me not; for censure my passion doth augment。
  Over my heart ye lord it in tyrantwise; whilst I Fare westward neither eastward for very languishment。
  Forbidden 'tis to slay me of passion's law; they say; 'The slain of love's a victim; oppressed and innocent。'
  Were there a judge in passion; to him I'd make my moan; Mayhap he'd do me justice in his arbitrament。 
They ceased not from chiding and discourse till the morning beamed; when Zein el Mewasif said to him; 'O Mesrour; it is time for thee to depart; lest one of the folk see thee and foul befall us。' So he arose and going forth; fared on; acpanied by Huboub; till they came to his lodging; where he talked with her and said to her; 'All thou seekest of me thou shalt presently have; so but thou wilt bring me to her enjoyment。' Quoth Huboub; 'fort thy heart;' whereupon he rose and gave her a hundred dinars; saying; 'O Huboub; I have by me a dress worth a hundred dinars。' 'O Mesrour;' answered she; 'make haste with the dresses and what not else thou didst promise her; ere she change her mind; for we may not avail to take her save with craft and beguilement; and she loveth the recitation of verses。' Quoth he; 'I hear and obey;' and bringing her the musk and ambergris and aloeswood and rosewater; returned with her to Zein el Mewasif and saluted her。 She returned his greeting with the sweetest of speech; and he was confounded at her beauty and improvised the following verses:

  O sun; midmost the dark that shinest in the skies; O thou that hast benumbed my wit with great black eyes;
  O loveling sweet; that 'st with neck surpassing fair; Whose cheek the gardenrose eclipses and outvies;
  Blind not with thy disdain our sights; for thy disdain A grievous matter is; the heart that terrifies。
  Passion took up its stead with me; and 'tis forbid To it to carry off the life's last lingering sighs。
  Indeed; the love of you doth lord it in my heart; And save to you; I find no issue anywise。
  Yet haply thou'lt relent towards a lover sad; So shall his darkness flee and morning bright arise。 
When she heard his verses; she cast at him a look; that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and his heart and soul were ravished thereby and answered him as follows:

  Think not from her; of whom thou art enamoured; aye To win delight; so put desire from thee away。
  Leave that thou hop'st; for 'gainst her rigours whom thou lov'st Among the fair; in vain is all thou canst essay。
  My looks to lovers bring disfiture and woe: Indeed; I make no count of that which thou dost say。 
When he heard this; he dissembled and took patience; saying in himself; 'There is nothing for it but patience against calamity;' and on this wise they abode till nightfall; when she called for food and they set before her a tray; wherein were all manner meats; quails and pigeons and mutton and so forth; of which they ate till they had enough。 Then she bade take away the tables and they did so and brought washing gear。 So they washed their hands; after which she ordered her women to bring the candlesticks; and they set on candlesticks and candles therein of camphorated wax。

Then said she; 'By Allah; my breast is straitened to night and I am fevered。' Quoth Mesrour; 'May God dilate thy breast and do away thy trouble!' And she aaid; 'O Mesrour; I am used to play at chess: knowest thou aught of the game?' 'Yes;' answered he; 'I am skilled therein;' whereupon she bade her maid Huboub fetch her the chessboard。 So she went away and presently returning with the board; set it before her; and behold; it was of ebony inlaid with ivory; with squares traced out in glittering gold; and its pieces were of pearl and ruby。 Mesrour was amazed at this and she said to him; 'Wilt thou have red or white?' 'O princess of fair ones and adornment of the morning;' answered he; 'do thou take the red; for they are handsome and fitter for the like of thee; and leave me the white。' 'So be it;' answered she and taking the red pieces; ranged them opposite the white; then put out her hand to make the first move。

He looked at her fingers; which were white as paste; and was confounded at their beauty and elegant shape; whereupon she turned to him and said; 'O Mesrour; be not bewildered; but take patience and calm thyself。' 'O thou whose beauty puts the moons to shame;' answered he; 'how shall a lover look on thee and have patience?' 'Checkmate!' (7) said she and beat him; wherefore she knew that he was mad for love of her and said to him; 'O Mesrour; I will not play with thee save for a set stake。' 'I hear and obey;' answered he and she said; 'Swear to me and I will swear to thee that neither of us will cheat the other。' So they swore this and she said; 'O Mesrour; if I beat thee; I will have ten dinars of thee; and if thou beat me; I will give thee nothing。' 'O my lady;' rejoined he; 'be not false to thine oath; for I see thou art an over match for me at this game!' 'Agreed;' said she and they ranged their men and fell again to playing。

Now she had on her head a kerchief of blue brocade; so she laid it aside and tucking up her sleeve; showed a wrist like a shaft of light and passed her hand over the red pieces; saying to him; 'Look to thyself。' But he was dazzled at her beauty and the sight of her char

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