第53章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(28)

By the perfume of his eyelids and his slender waist I swearBy the arrows that he feathers with the witchery of his air，By his sides so soft and tender and his glances bright and keen，By the whiteness of his forehead and the blackness of his hair，By his arched imperious eyebrowschasing slumber from my eyes，With their yeas and noes that hold me 'twixt rejoicing and despair，By the myrtle of his whiskers and the roses of his cheeksBy his lips'incarnate rubies and his teeth's fine pearls and rare，By his neck and by its beautyby the softness of his breast And the pair of twin pomegranates that my eyes discover there，By his heavy hips that trembleboth in motion and reposeAnd the slender waist above themall too slim their weight to bear，By his skin's unsullied satin and the quickness of his spright，By the matchless combination in his form of all things fair，By his hand's perennial bounty and his true and trusty speechBy the stars that smile upon himfavouring and debonair，Lothe smell of musk none other than his very fragrance isAnd the ambergris's perfume breathes around him everywhere.

Yeathe sun in all its splendour cannot with his grace compare，Seeming but a shining fragment that he from his nail doth pare.

I stole a look at himwhich cost me a thousand sighsfor my heart was taken with his loveand I said to him'O my lord，tell me what I asked thee.'I hear and obey，'answered he.

'KnowO handmaid of Godthat this city was the capital of my fatherwho is the king thou sawest on the thronechanged to a black stoneand as for the queen on the bedshe was my mother；and they and all the people of the city were Magiansworshipping the fireinstead of the All-powerful Kingand swearing by the fire and the light and the shade and the heat and the revolving sphere. My father had no childtill I was vouchsafed to him in his old ageand he reared me and I grew up and flourished. Now，as my good star would have itthere was with us an old woman stricken in yearswho was at heart a Muslimbelieving in God and His prophetbut conforming outwardly to the religion of my people. My father had confidence in hersupposing her to be of his own beliefand showed her exceeding favourfor that he knew her to be trusty and virtuous；so when I grew to a fitting age，he committed me to her chargesaying'Take him and do thy best to give him a good education and teach him the things of our faith.'So she took me and taught me the tenets of Islam and the ordinances of ablution and prayer and made me learn the Koran by heartbidding me worship none but God the Most High and charging me to keep my faith secret from my fatherlest he should kill me. So I hid it from himand I abode thus tillin a little whilethe old woman died and the people of the city redoubled in their impiety and frowardness and in the error of their ways. One daythey heard a voice from on highproclaiming aloudwith a noise like the resounding thunderso that all heard it far and nearand saying'O people of the cityturn from your worship of the fire and serve God the Compassionate King！'At thisfear fell on the people of the city and they crowded to my father and said to him；'What is this awful voice that we have heard and that has confounded us with the excess of its terror？'But he said'Let not a voice fright you nor turn you from your faith.'Their hearts inclined to his word and they ceased not to worship the firebut redoubled in their frowardnesstill the anniversary of the day on which they had heard the supernatural voice. When they heard it anewand so again a third time at the end of the second year. Still they persisted in their evil ways，till one dayat break of dawnjudgment descended on them and wrath from heavenand they were all turned into black stones，they and their beasts and cattle；and none was sparedsave myself. From that day to thisI have remained as thou seest me，occupying myself with prayer and fasting and reading the Koran aloud；and indeed I am grown weary of solitudehaving none to bear me company.'Then said I to him （and indeed he had won my heart）'O youthwilt thou go with me to the city of Baghdad and foregather with men of learning and theologians and grow in wisdom and understanding and knowledge of the Law？ If soI will be thy handmaidalbeit I am head of my family and mistress over men and slaves and servants. I have here a ship laden with merchandise；and indeed it was providence drove us to this city，that I might come to the knowledge of these thingsfor it was fated that we should meet.'And I ceased not to speak him fair and persuade himtill he consented to go with meand I passed the night at his feetbeside myself for joy. When it was daywe repaired to the treasuries and took thence what was little of weight and great of value；then went down into the townwhere we met the slaves and the captain seeking for me. When they saw me，they rejoiced and I told them all I had seen and related to them the story of the young man and of the curse that had fallen on the people of the city. At this they wondered： but when my sisters saw me with the princethey envied me on his account and were enraged and plotted mischief against me in their hearts.

Then we took ship againbeside ourselves for joy in the booty we had gottenthough the most of my joy was in the princeand waited till the wind blew fair for uswhen we set sail and departed. As we sat talkingmy sisters said to me'O sister，what wilt thou do with this handsome young man？'I purpose to make him my husband，'answered I；and I turned to the prince and said'O my lordI have that to propose to theein which I will not have thee cross me： and it is thatwhen we reach BaghdadI will give myself to thee as a handmaid in the way of marriage，and thou shalt be my husband and I thy wife.'Quoth he'I hear and obey；thou art my lady and my mistressand whatever thou dostI will not cross thee.'Then I turned to my sisters and said to them'This young man suffices me；and those who have gotten aughtit is theirs.'Thou sayest well，'replied they；but in their hearts they purposed me evil.