神鸟电子书 > 文学名著电子书 > 一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版) >

第60部分

一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第60部分


按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



I will sit in this chair in this chamber and give them leave to enter; one by one; ing in at one door and going out at another; and do ye stand; all ten; before me and be attentive to my signs; and whoso enters singly; take him and drag him into yonder chamber and slay him and hide his body。' The slaves answered; 'We hearken to thy word and obey thy mandment。' Whereupon he gave them largesse and dismissed them。

On the morrow he summoned the slaves and bade set up the throne。 Then he donned his royal robes and taking the book of the law (182) in his hands; posted the ten slaves before him and manded to open the doors。 So they opened the doors and the herald proclaimed aloud; saying; 'Whoso hath authority; let him e to the king's carpet!' (183) Whereupon up came the viziers and prefects and chamberlains and stood; each in his rank。 Then the king bade admit them; one by one; and the first to enter was Shimas; after the wont of the chief vizier; but no sooner had he presented himself before the king than the ten slaves set upon him; ere he could be ware; and dragging him into the adjoining chamber; despatched him。 On like wise did they with the rest of the viziers and doctors and notables; slaying them; one after another; till they made an end of them all。 Then the king called the headsmen and bade them put to the sword all who remained of the folk of valour and prowess。 So they fell on them and left none whom they knew for a man of mettle but they slew him; sparing only the dregs and refuse of the people。 These latter they drove away and they returned each to his folk; whilst the king secluded himself with his pleasures and surrendered his soul to its lusts; ensuing tyranny and oppression and unright; till he outwent all the men of evil who had foregone him。

Now this king's realm was a mine of gold and silver and jacinths and jewels and the neighbouring kings envied him this empire and looked for calamity to betide him。 Moreover; one of them 'to wit; the King of Farther India' said in himself; 'Now have I gotten my desire of wresting the realm from the hand of yonder crackbrained boy; by reason of that which hath betided of his slaughter of the chiefs of his state and of all the men of valour and mettle that were in his dominions。 Now is my occasion to snatch away that which is in his hand; seeing he hath no knowledge of war nor judgment thereto; nor is there any left to counsel him aright or succour him。 Wherefore this very day will I open on him the door of mischief by writing him a letter wherein I will flout him and reproach him with that which he hath done and see what he will answer。'

So he wrote him a letter to the following effect: 'In the name of God the passionate; the Merciful! I have heard tell of that which thou hast done with thy viziers and doctors and men of war and that whereinto thou hast cast thyself of calamity; so that there is neither power nor strength left in thee to repel whoso shall assail thee; more by token that thou transgressest and orderest thyself tyrannously and profligately。 Now God hath given me the mastery over thee and hath delivered thee into my hand; wherefore do thou give ear to my word and obey my mandment and build me an impregnable castle amiddleward the sea。 If thou canst not do this; depart thy realm and begone with thy life; for I will send unto thee; from the farthest parts of Hind; twelve squadrons of horse; each twelve thousand fightingmen strong; who shall enter thy land and spoil thy goods and slay thy men and take thy women prisoners。 Moreover; I will make my Vizier Bediya captain over them and bid him lay strait siege 'to thy capital city' till he master it; and I have manded the bearer of this letter that he tarry with thee but three days。 So; if thou do my bidding; thou shalt be saved; else will I send unto thee that which I have said。'

Then he sealed the letter and gave it to a messenger; who journeyed with it till he came to Wird Khan's capital and delivered it to him。 When the young king read it; his heart sank within him and his breast was straitened and he made sure of destruction; having none to whom he might resort for counsel or succour。 So he rose and went in to his favourite; who; seeing him changed of colour; said to him; 'What ails thee; O king?' Quoth he; 'Today I am no king; but slave to the king。' And he opened the letter and read it to her; whereupon she fell to weeping and lamenting and tearing her clothes。 Then said he to her; 'Hast thou aught of counsel or resource in this grievous state?' But she answered; 'Women have no resource in time of war; nor have they strength or judgment。 It is men alone who have strength and judgment and resource in the like of this affair。''

When the king heard this; there befell him the utmost grief and repentance and remorse for that wherein he had transgressed against his viziers and officers and the nobles of his people and the chiefs of his state; and he would that he had died ere there came to him the like of this shameful news。 Then he said to his women; 'Verily; there hath betided me from you that which befell the heathcock with the tortoises。' 'What was that?' asked they; and he answered; 'It is said that

 The Heathcock and the Tortoises。

A number of tortoises dwelt once in a certain island; abounding in trees and fruits and streams; and it chanced; one day; that a heathcock passing over the island; was overe with heat and weariness and stayed his flight there。 Presently; looking about for a cool place; he espied the resort of the tortoises and lighted down therein。 Now they were then abroad in quest of food and when they returned from their feedingplaces to their dwelling; they found the heathcock there。 His beauty pleased them and God made him fair in their eyes; so that they extolled their Creator and loved the heathcock with an exceeding love and rejoiced in him; saying one to another; 〃Assuredly this is of the goodliest of the birds。〃 And they began to caress him and entreat him with kindness。 When he saw that they looked on him with eyes of affection; he inclined to them and made friends with them and took up his abode with them; Eying away in the morning whither he would and returning at eventide to pass the night with them。

After awhile; the tortoises; seeing that his 'daylong' absence from them desolated them and finding that they saw him not but by night; (for at break of day he still took flight in haste and they knew not what came of him; for all their love to him;) said to each other; 〃Indeed; we love this heathcock and he is bee our friend and we cannot brook parting from him; so how shall we do to make him abide with us always? For he flies away at daybreak and is absent from us all day and we see him not save by night。〃 Quoth one of them; 〃Be easy; O my sisters。 I will bring him not to leave us for the twinkling of an eye。〃 And the rest answered; saying; 〃An thou do this; we will all be thy slaves。〃

So; when the heathcock came back from his feedingplace and sat down amongst them; the wily tortoise drew near unto him and called down blessings on him; giving him joy of his safe return and saying; 〃O my lord; know that God hath vouchsafed thee our love and hath in like manner set in thy heart the love of us; so that thou art bee to us a familiar friend and a rade in this desert place。 Now the goodliest of times for those who love each other is when they are in pany and the sorest of afflictions for them is absence and separation。 But thou leavest us at peep of day and returnest not to us till sundown; wherefore there betideth us sore desolation。 Indeed this is exceeding grievous unto us and we abide in sore longing by reason thereof。〃

〃Indeed;〃 answered the bird; 〃I love you also and yearn for you yet more than you for me; nor is it easy for me to leave you; but I have no help for this; seeing that I am a bird with wings and may not abide with you always; because that is not of my nature。 For a bird; being a winged creature; may not remain still; except it be for the sake of sleep at night; but; as soon as it is day; he flies away and seeks his food in what place soever pleases him。〃 〃True;〃 answered the tortoise。 〃Nevertheless he who hath wings hath no repose at most seasons; for that

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的