第56章

Now when Harun al-Rashid heard the young man's story and knew the passion and transport and love lowe that afflicted him，he was moved to compassion and wonder and said，'Glory be to Allah，who hath appointed to every effect a cause！' Then they craved the young man's permission to depart； which being granted，they took leave of him，the Caliph purposing to do him justice meet，and him with the utmost munificence entreat； and they returned to the palace of the Caliphate，where they changed clothes for others befitting their state and sat down，whilst Masrur the Sworder of High Justice stood before them.After awhile，quoth the Caliph to Ja'afar，'O Wazir，bring me the young man'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two hundred and Ninety-fourth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that quoth the Caliph to his Minister，'Bring me the young man with whom we were last night.' 'I hear and obey，' answered Ja'afar and，going to the youth，saluted him，saying，'Obey the summons of the Commander of the Faithful，the Caliph Harun al-Rashid.' So he returned with him to the palace，in great anxiety by reason of the summons； and，going in to the King，kissed ground before him；

and offered up a prayer for the endurance of his glory and prosperity，for the accomplishment of his desires，for the continuance of his beneficence and for the cessation of evil and punishment； ordering his speech as best he might and ending by saying，'Peace be on thee，O Prince of True Believers and Protector of the folk of the Faith！' Then he repeated these two couplets，'Kiss thou his fingers which no fingers are；*Keys of our daily bread those fingers ken：

And praise his actions which no actions are，* But precious necklaces round necks of men.'

So the Caliph smiled in his face and returned his salute，looking on him with the eye of favour； then he bade him draw near and sit down before him and said to him，'O Mohammed Ali，I wish thee to tell me what befel thee last night，for it was strange and passing strange.' Quoth the youth，'Pardon，O Commander of the Faithful，give me the kerchief of immunity，that my dread may be appeased and my heart eased.' Replied the Caliph，'I promise thee safety from fear and woes.' So the young man told him his story from first to last，whereby the Caliph knew him to be a lover and severed from his beloved and said to him，'Desirest thou that I restore her to thee？' 'This were of the bounty of the Commander of the Faithful，' answered the youth and repeated these two couplets.

'Ne'er cease thy gate be Ka'abah to mankind；*Long may its threshold dust man's brow beseem！

That o'er all countries it may be proclaimed，* This is the Place and thou art Ibrahim.'[209]

Thereupon the Caliph turned to his Minister and said to him，'O Ja'afar，bring me thy sister，the Lady Dunya，daughter of the Wazir Yahya bin Khalid！' 'I hear and I obey，' answered he and fetched her without let or delay.Now when she stood before the Caliph he said to her，'Doss thou know who this is？'； and she replied，'O Commander of the Faithful，how should women have knowledge of men？'[210] So the Caliph smiled and said，'O Dunya this is thy beloved，Mohammed bin Ali the Jeweller.We are acquainted with his case，for we have heard the whole story from beginning to end，and have apprehended its inward and its outward； and it is no more hidden from me，for all it was kept in secrecy.' Replied she，'O Commander of the Faithful，this was written in the Book of Destiny； I crave the forgiveness of Almighty Allah for the wrong I have wrought，and pray thee to pardon me of thy favour.' At this the Caliph laughed and，summoning the Kazi and witnesses，renewed the marriage-contract between the Lady Dunya and her husband，Mohammed Ali son of the Jeweller，whereby there betided them，both her and him the utmost felicity，and to their enviers mortification and misery.

Moreover，he made Mohammed Ali one of his boon-companions，and they abode in joy and cheer and gladness，till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies.And men also relate the pleasant tale of ALI THE PERSIAN.

It is said that the Caliph Harun al-Rashid，being restless one night，sent for his Wazir and said to him，'O Ja'afar，I am sore wakeful and heavy-hearted this night，and I desire of thee what may solace my spirit and cause my breast to broaden with amuse meet.' Quoth Ja'afar，'O Commander of the Faithful，I have a friend，by name Ali the Persian，who hath store of tales and plea sent stories，such as lighten the heart and make care depart.'

Quoth the Caliph，'Fetch him to me，' and quoth Ja'afar，'Hearkening and obedience；' and，going out from before him，sent to seek Ali the Persian and when he came said to him，'Answer the summons of the Commander of the Faithful.' 'To hear is to obey，'

answered Ali；--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the Persian replied，'To hear is to obey；' and at once followed the Wazir into the presence of the Caliph who bade him be seated and said to him，'O Ali，my heart is heavy within me this night and it hath come to my ear that thou hast great store of tales and anecdotes； so I desire of thee that thou let me hear what will relieve my despondency and brighten my melancholy.' Said he，'O

Commander of the Faithful，shall I tell thee what I have seen with my eyes or what I have heard with my ears？' He replied，'An thou have seen aught worth the telling，let me hear that.'