第75章

'I hear and I obey，' answered he and，repairing to the bazar，sold the curtain to a merchant，as she bade him； after which he bought a piece of silk for another curtain and gold and silver and silken thread as before and what they needed of food，and brought all this to her，giving her the rest of the money.Now every eight days she made a curtain，which he sold for fifty dinars，and on this wise passed a whole year.At the end of that time，he went as usual to the bazar with a curtain，which he gave to the broker； and there came up to him a Nazarene who bid him sixty dinars for it； but he refused，and the Christian continued bidding higher and higher，till he came to an hundred dinars and bribed the broker with ten ducats.So the man returned to Ali Shar and told him of the proffered price and urged him to accept the offer and sell the article at the Nazarene's valuation，saying，'O my lord，be not afraid of this Christian for that he can do thee no hurt.' The merchants also were urgent with him； so he sold the curtain to the Christian，albeit his heart misgave him； and，taking the money，set off to return home.Presently，as he walked，he found the Christian walking behind him； so he said to him，'O Nazarene，[281] why dost thou follow in my footsteps？' Answered the other 'O my lord，I want a something at the end of the street，Allah never bring thee to want！'； but Ali Shar had barely reached his place before the Christian overtook him； so he said to him，'O accursed，what aileth thee to follow me wherever I go？' Replied the other，'O my lord，give me a draught of water，for I am athirst； and with Allah be thy reward！'[282] Quoth Ali Shar to himself，'Verily，this man is an Infidel who payeth tribute and claimeth our protection[283] and he asketh me for a draught of water； by Allah，I will not baulk him！'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Thirteenth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that quoth Ali Shar to himself，'This man is a tributary Unbeliever and he asked me for a draught of water； by Allah，I will not baulk him！' So he entered the house and took a gugglet of water； but the slave-girl Zumurrud saw him and said to him，'O my love，hast thou sold the curtain？' He replied，'Yes；' and she asked，'To a merchant or to a passer-by？ for my heart presageth a parting.' And he answered，'To whom but to a merchant？' Thereupon she rejoined，'Tell me the truth of the case，that I may order my affair； and why take the gugglet of water？' And he，To give the broker to drink，' upon which she exclaimed，There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！'； and she repeated these two couplets，[284]

'O thou who seekest separation，act leisurely，and let not the embrace of the beloved deceive thee！

Act leisurely； for the nature of fortune is treacherous，and the end of every union is disjunction.

Then he took the gugglet and，going out，found the Christian within the vestibule and said to him，'How comest thou here and how darest thou，O dog，enter my house without my leave？'

Answered he，'O my lord，there is no difference between the door and the vestibule，and I never intended to stir hence，save to go out； and my thanks are due to thee for thy kindness and favour，thy bounty and generosity.' Then he took the mug and emptying it，returned it to Ali Shar，who received it and waited for him to rise up and to go； but he did not move.So Ali said to him，'Why dost thou not rise and wend thy way？'； and he answered，'O my lord，be not of those who do a kindness and then make it a reproach，nor of those of whom saith the poet，[285]

'They're gone who when thou stoodest at their door*Would for thy wants so generously cater：

But stand at door of churls who followed them，* They'd make high favour of a draught of water！''

And he continued，'O my lord，I have drunk，and now I would have thee give me to eat of whatever is in the house，though it be but a bit of bread or a biscuit with an onion.' Replied Ali Shar，'Begone，without more chaffer and chatter； there is nothing in the house.' He persisted，'O my lord，if there be nothing in the house，take these hundred dinars and bring us something from the market，if but a single scone，that bread and salt may pass between us.'[286] With this，quoth Ali Shar to himself，'This Christian is surely mad； I will take his hundred dinars and bring him somewhat worth a couple of dirhams and laugh at him.' And the Nazarene added，'O my lord，I want but a small matter to stay my hunger，were it but a dry scone and an onion； for the best food is that which doeth away appetite，not rich viands； and how well saith the poet，'Hunger is sated with a bone-dry scone，* How is it then[287]

in woes of want I wone？

Death is all-justest，lacking aught regard*For Caliph-king and beggar woe-begone.'

Then quoth Ali Shar，'Wait here，while I lock the saloon and fetch thee somewhat from the market；' and quoth the Christian，'To hear is to obey.' So Ali Shar shut up the saloon and，locking the door with a padlock，put the key in his pocket： after which he went to market and bought fried cheese and virgin honey and bananas[288] and bread，with which he returned to the house.

Now when the Christian saw the provision，he said，'O my lord，this is overmuch； 'tis enough for half a score of men and I am alone； but belike thou wilt eat with me.' Replied Ali，'Eat by thyself，I am full；' and the Christian rejoined，'O my lord，the wise say，Whoso eateth not with his guest is a son of a whore.'

Now when Ali Shar heard these words from the Nazarene，he sat down and ate a little with him，after which he would have held his hand；--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.