第86章

It is related that the Commander of the Faithful，Harun al-Rashid was uneasy[326] one night and could not sleep； so that he ceased not to toss from side to side for very restlessness，till，growing weary of this，he called Masrur and said to him，'Ho，Masrur，find me some one who may solace me in this my wakefulness.' He answered，'O Prince of True Believers，wilt thou walk in the palace-garden and divert thyself with the sight of its blooms and gaze upon the stars and constellations and note the beauty of their ordinance and the moon among them rising in sheen over the water？' Quoth the Caliph，'O Masrur，my heart inclineth not to aught of this.' Quoth he，'O my lord，there are in thy palace three hundred concubines，each of whom hath her separate chamber.Do thou bid all and every retire into her own apartment and then do thou go thy rounds and amuse thyself with gazing on them without their knowledge.' The Caliph replied，'O Masrur，the palace is my palace and the girls are my property：

furthermore my soul inclineth not to aught of this.' Then Masrur rejoined，'O my lord，summon the doctors of law and religion and the sages of science and poets，and bid them contend before thee in argument and disputation and recite to thee songs and verses and tell thee tales and anecdotes.' Replied the Caliph，'My soul inclineth not to aught of this；' and Masrur rejoined，'O my lord，bid pretty boys and the wits and the cup-companions attend thee and solace thee with witty sallies.' 'O Masrur，' ejaculated the Caliph，'indeed my soul inclineth not to aught of this.''Then，O my lord，' cried Masrur，'strike off my head；'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Masrur cried out to the Caliph，'O my lord，strike off my head； haply that will dispel thine unease and do away the restlessness that is upon thee.' So Al-Rashid laughed at his saying and said，'See which of the boon-companions is at the door.' Thereupon he went out and returning，said，'O my lord，he who sits without is Ali bin Mansur of Damascus，the Wag.'[327] 'Bring him to me，'

quoth Harun： and Masrur went out and returned with Ibn Mansur，who said，on entering，'Peace be with thee，O Commander of the Faithful！' The Caliph returned his salutation and said to him，'O Ibn Mansur，tell us some of thy stories.' Said the other，'O Commander of the Faithful，shall I tell thee what I have seen with my eyes or what I have only heard tell？' Replied the Caliph，'If thou have seen aught worth telling，let us hear it； for hearing is not like seeing.' Said Ibn Mansur，'O Commander of the Faithful，lend me thine ear and thy heart；' and he answered，'O Ibn Mansur，behold，I am listening to thee with mine ears and looking at thee with mine eyes and attending to thee with my heart.' So Ibn Mansur began： 'Know then，O Commander of the Faithful，that I receive a yearly allowance from Mohammed bin Sulayman al-Hashimi，Sultan of Bassorah； so I went to him once upon a time，as usual，and found him ready to ride out hunting and birding.I saluted him and he returned my salute，and said，'O son of Mansur，mount and come with us to the chase：' but I said，'O my lord，I can no longer ride； so do thou station me in the guest-house and give thy chamberlains and lieutenants charge over me.' And he did so and departed for his sport.His people entreated me with the utmost honour and entertained me with the greatest hospitality； but said I to myself，'By Allah，it is a strange thing that for so long I have been in the habit of coming from Baghdad to Bassorah，yet know no more of this town than from palace to garden and from garden to palace.When shall I find an occasion like this to view the different parts and quarters of Bassorah？ I will rise forthwith and walk forth alone and divert myself and digest what I have eaten.' Accordingly I donned my richest dress and went out a walking about Bassorah.Now it is known to thee，O Commander of the Faithful，that it hath seventy streets，each seventy leagues[328] long，the measure of Irak；

and I lost myself in its by-streets and thirst overcame me.

Presently，as I went along，O Prince of True Believers，behold，I came to a great door，whereon were two rings of brass，[329]

with curtains of red brocade drawn before it.And on either side of the door was a stone bench and over it was a trellis，covered with a creeping vine that hung down and shaded the door way.I stood still to gaze upon the place，and presently heard a sorrowful voice，proceeding from a heart which did not rejoice，singing melodiously and chanting these cinquains，'My body bides the sad abode of grief and malady，* Caused by a fawn whose land and home are in a far countrie：

O ye two Zephyrs of the wold which caused such pain in me*By Allah，Lord of you！ to him my heart's desire，go ye And chide him so perchance ye soften him I pray.

And tell us all his words if he to hear your speech shall deign，* And unto him the tidings bear of lovers 'twixt you twain：

And both vouchsafe to render me a service free and fain，* And lay my case before him showing how I e'er complain：

And say，'What ails thy bounder thrall this wise to drive away，Without a fault committed and without a sin to show；*Or heart that leans to other wight or would thy love forego：

Or treason to our plighted troth or causing thee a throe？'*And if he smile then say ye twain in accents soft and slow，'An thou to him a meeting grant 'twould be the kindest way！

For he is gone distraught for thee，as well indeed，he might *

His eyes are wakeful and he weeps and wails the livelong night ：'

If seem he satisfied by this why then 'tis well and right，* But if he show an angry face and treat ye with despite，Trick him and 'Naught we know of him！' I beg you both to say.'