[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Day.
(Quoth Eth Thaalibi also) It chanced that two men once entered
this cavern and found at its upper end a stair; so they descended
and came to an underground chamber, a hundred cubits long by
forth wide and a hundred high. In the midst stood a throne of
gold, whereon lay a man of gigantic stature, filling the whole
length and breadth of the throne. He was covered with jewelry and
raiment gold and silver wrought, and at his head was a tablet of
223
gold, bearing an inscription. So they took the tablet and bore it
off, together with as many bars of gold and silver and so forth
as they could away with.
ISAAC OF MOSUL S STORY OF THE LADY KHEDIJEH
AND THE KHALIF MAMOUN
(Quoth Isaac of Mosul[FN142])  I went out one night from
Mamoun s presence, on my way to my house, and being taken with a
need to make water, I turned aside into a by-street and stood up
against a wall, fearing lest something might hurt me, if I
squatted down. Presently, I espied something hanging down from
one of the houses and feeling it, found that it was a great four-
handled basket, covered with brocade.  There must be some reason
for this, said I to myself and knew not what to think, then
drunkenness led me to seat myself in the basket, whereupon the
people of the house pulled me up, supposing me to be he whom they
expected. When I came to the top of the wall, I found four
damsels, who said to me,  Descend and welcome! Then one of them
went before me with a flambeau and brought me down into a
mansion, wherein were furnished sitting-chambers, whose like I
had never seen, save in the Khalif s palace. So I sat down and
after awhile, the curtains were drawn from one side of the room
and in came damsels bearing lighted flambeaux and censers full of
Sumatran aloes-wood, and amongst them a young lady as she were
the rising full moon. I rose and she said,  Welcome to thee for a
visitor! Then she made me sit down again and asked how I came
thither. Quoth I,  I was returning home from a friend s house and
went astray in the dark; then, being taken with an urgent
occasion, I turned aside into this street, where I found a basket
let down. The wine which I had drunk led me to seat myself in it
and it was drawn up with me into this house.  No harm shall
befall thee, rejoined she,  and I hope thou wilt have cause to
praise the issue of thine adventure. But what is thy condition?
 I am a merchant in the Baghdad bazaar, replied I, and she,
 Canst thou repeat any verses?  Some small matter, answered I.
 Then, said she,  let us hear some of them. But I said,  A
visitor is [naturally] bashful; do thou begin.  True, answered
she and recited some of the choicest verses of the poets, past
and present, so that I knew not whether more to marvel at her
beauty and grace or at the charm of her diction. Then said she,
 Is thy bashfulness gone?  Yes, by Allah! answered I.  Then, if
thou wilt, rejoined she,  recite us somewhat. So I repeated to
her a number of poems by old writers, and she applauded, saying,
 By Allah I did not look to find such culture among the trader
folk!
Then she called for food and fell to taking of it and setting it
before me; and the place was full of all manner sweet-scented
flowers and rare fruits, such as are found only in kings houses.
224
Presently, she called for wine and drank a cup, after which she
filled another and gave it to me, saying,  Now is the time for
converse and story-telling. So I bethought myself and related to
her a number of pleasing stories and anecdotes, with which she
was delighted and said,  It is wonderful that a merchant should
have such store of tales like unto these, for they are fit for
kings. Quoth I,  I have a neighbour who uses to consort with
kings and bear them company at table; so, when he is at leisure,
I visit his house and he often tells me what he has heard.  By
my life, exclaimed she,  thou hast a good memory!
We continued to converse thus, and as often as I was silent, she
would begin, till the most part of the night was spent, whilst
the burning aloes-wood diffused its fragrance and I was in such
case as, if the Khalif had suspected it, would have made him wild
with longing for it. Then said she to me,  Verily, thou art one
of the most pleasant and accomplished of men and passing well-
bred; but there lacks one thing.  What is that? asked I, and
she said,  If but thou knewest how to sing verses to the lute! I
answered,  I was once passionately fond of this art, but finding
I had no gift for it, I abandoned it, thou reluctantly. Indeed, I
should love to sing somewhat well at this present and fulfil my
night s enjoyment.  Meseemeth thou hintest a wish for the lute
to be brought? said she, and I,  It is thine to decide, if thou
wilt so far favour me, and to thee be the thanks. So she called
for a lute and sang a song, in a manner whose like I never heard,
both for sweetness of voice and perfection of style and skill in
playing, in short, for general excellence. Then said she,
 Knowest thou who made the air and words of this song?  No,
answered I; and she said,  The words are so and so s and the air
is Isaac s.  And hath Isaac then (may I be thy ransom!) such a
talent? asked I.  Glory be to Isaac! replied she.  Indeed he
excels in this art.  Glory be to Allah, exclaimed I,  who hath
given this man what He hath vouchsafed unto none other! And she
said,  How would it be, if thou heardest this song from himself?
Thus did we till break of day, when there came to her an old
woman, as she were her nurse, and said to her,  The time is
come. So she rose and said to me,  Keep what hath passed between
us to thyself; for meetings of this kind are in confidence.  May
I be thy ransom! answered I.  I needed no enjoinder of this. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]