第54章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(29)

We sailed on with a fair windtill we left the sea of peril and came into safe watersand in a few dayswe came in sight of the walls of Bassoraeven as night overtook us. My sisters waited till the prince and I were asleepwhen they took us upbed and alland threw us into the sea. The princewho could not swimwas drowned and God wrote him of the company of the martyrs. As for mewould I had been drowned with him！But God decreed that I should be of the saved；so He threw in my way a piece of wood and I got astride of itand the waters tossed me about till they cast me up on an island. I landed and walked about the island the rest of the nightand when the day brokeI saw a footway，leading to the mainland. By this timethe sun had risen；so I dried my clothes in its rays and ate of the fruits of the island and drank of its waters. Then I set out and fared on till I reached the mainland and found myself but two hours'distant from the city. So I sat down to rest and presently I saw a great serpentthe bigness of a palm-treecome fleeing towards me，with all her mightwhilst her tongue for weariness hung from her mouth a span's length and swept the dust as she went. She was pursued by a dragonas long and thin as a spearwhich presently overtook her and seized her by the tail whereat the tears streamed from her eyes and she wriggled from side to side. I took pity on her and catching up a stonethrew it at the dragon's head and killed him on the spot. Then the serpent spread a pair of wings and flew away out of sightleaving me wondering. Now I was tired and drowsiness overcoming meI slept where I was for awhile. When I awokeI found a damsel sitting at my feet，rubbing themand with hertwo black bitchesand I was ashamed before her；so I sat up and said to her'O my sisterwho art thou？'How quickly thou hast forgotten me！'answered she. 'I am the serpentwhom thou didst deliver from my enemy by killing himfor I am a Jinniyeh and the dragon was a genie；and I was only saved from him by thy kindness. As soon as thou hadst done me this serviceI flew on the wind to your ship and transported all that was therein to thy house. Then I sank the vessel and changed thy sisters into two black bitchesfor I know all that has passed between thee and them： but as for the young manhe is drowned.'So sayingshe flew up with me and the two bitches and presently set us down on the roof of my housewhere I found all the goods that were in my shipnor was aught missing. Then she said to me'By that which is written on the seal of our lord Solomon （on whom be peace！） except thou give each of these bitches three hundred lashes every dayI will come and make thee like unto them.'I hear and obey，'answered I；and since then I have never failed to beat them thusO Commander of the Faithfulpitying them the while；and they know it is no fault of mine that they are beaten and accept my excuse. And this is my story.'The Khalif marvelled at her story and said to the portress'And thouhow camest thou by the weals on thy body？'

'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered she：

Story of the Portress.

'My father died and left me great wealthand soon after his death I married one of the richest men of Baghdad. At the end of a year he too died and I inherited from him fourscore thousand dinarsbeing my lawful share of his property；so that I became passing rich and the report of my wealth spread abroadfor I got me half a score suits of clotheseach worth a thousand dinars.

One dayas I was sitting alonethere came in to me an old woman with sunken cheeks and worn eyebrowsbleared eyes and broken teethblotched face and bald headgrizzled hair and bent and mangy bodyrunning nose and sallow complexioneven as says the poet of the like of her：

A right pernicious hag！Unshriven be her sinsNor let her mercy find what time she comes to die！

So full of wile she isthat with a single thread Of spider's silk she'd curb a thousand mules that shy.

She saluted me and kissing the ground before mesaid'I have an orphan daughter whose wedding and unveiling I celebrate to-night. We are strangers in the city and know none of its inhabitantsand verily our hearts are broken so do thou earn through us a recompense and reward in the world to come by being present at her unveiling. When the ladies of the city hear that thou art to be presentthey also will attendand so wilt thou bring healing to her spiritfor now she is broken-hearted and has none to look to but God the Most High.'Then she wept and kissed my feetrepeating the following verses：

Thy presence honoureth usand we Confess thy magnanimity：

If thou forsake usthere is none Can stand to us in stead of thee.

I was moved to pity for her and said'I hear and obey；and God willingI will do more than this for herfor she shall not be unveiled but in my clothes and ornaments and jewellery.'At this the old woman rejoiced and fell at my feet and kissed them，saying'God requite thee with good and gladden thy heart as thou hast gladdened mine！ButO my ladydo not trouble thyself now，but be ready against the eveningwhen I will come and fetch thee.'So sayingshe kissed my hand and went awaywhilst I attired myself and made my preparations. At the appointed time，the old woman returnedsmilingand kissed my handsaying，'O my mistressthe most part of the ladies of the city are assembled；and I told them that thou hadst promised to be presentwhereat they rejoiced and they are now awaiting thee and are looking eagerly for thy coming.'So I veiled myself and taking my serving-maids with mefollowed the old womantill we came to a street swept and wateredthrough which blew a pleasant breeze.

Here she stopped at a handsome portico vaulted with marble and leading to a palace that rose from the ground and took hold upon the clouds. The gateway was hung with a black curtain and lighted by a lamp of gold curiously wrought；and on the door were written the following verses：

I am a dwellingbuilded for delight；My time is still for joyance day and night.