第38章

[139] fell down before her and acquainted her with Hasan's case，saying，'O my lady，a man，who had hidden himself under my wooden settle on the seashore，sought my protection；so I took him under my safeguard and carried him with me among the army of girls armed and accoutred so that none might know him，and brought him into the city；and indeed I have striven to affright him with thy fierceness，giving him to know of thy power and prowess；but，as often as I threatened him，he weepeth and reciteth verses and sayeth，'Needs must I have my wife and children or die，and I will not return to my country without them.' And indeed he hath adventured himself and come to the Islands of Wak，and never in all my days saw I mortal heartier of heart than he or doughtier of derring-do，save that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninth Night； She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when the old woman related to Queen Nur al-Huda the adventure of Hasan；ending with，'Never I saw any one heartier of heart than he save that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery，'the Queen；after lending an attentive ear and comprehending the case，waxed wroth at her with exceeding wrath and bowed her head awhile groundwards；then，raising it，she looked at Shawahi and said to her，'O ill-omened beldam，art thou come to such a pass of lewdness that thou carriest males，men，with thee into the Islands of Wak and bringest them into me，unfearing of my mischief？ Who hath foregone thee with this fashion，that thou shouldst do thus？ By the head of the King，but for thy claim on me for fosterage and service，I would forthwith do both him and thee to die the foulest of deaths，that travellers might take warning by thee，O accursed，lest any other do the like of this outrageous deed thou hast done，which none durst hitherto！ But go and bring him hither forthright，that I may see him；or I will strike off thy head，O accursed.'So the old woman went out from her，confounded，unknowing whither she went and saying，'All this calamity hath Allah driven upon me from this Queen because of Hasan！'and going in to him，said，'Rise，speak with the Queen，O wight whose last hour is at hand！'So he rose and went with her；whilst his tongue ceased not to call upon Almighty Allah and say；'O my God，be gracious to me in Thy decrees and deliver me from this Thine affliction！'[140] And Shawahi went with him charging him by the way how he should speak with the Queen.When he stood before Nur al-Huda，he found that she had donned the chinveil[141]；so he kissed ground before her and saluted her with the salam，improvising these two couplets；'God make thy glory last in joy of life；* Allah confirm the boons he deigned bestow：

Thy grace and grandeur may our Lord increase * And aye Th'Almighty aid thee o'er thy foe！'

When he ended his verse Nur al-Huda bade the old woman ask him questions before her，that she might hear his answers： so she said to him，'The Queen returneth thy salam-greeting and saith to thee，'What is thy name and that of thy country，and what are the names of thy wife and children，on whose account thou art come hither？'' Quoth he，and indeed he had made firm his heart and destiny aided him，'O Queen of the age and tide and peerless jewel of the epoch and the time，my name is Hasan the fullfilled of sorrow，and my native city is Bassorah.I know not the name of my wife[142] but my children's names are N sir and Mansār.'

When the Queen heard his reply and his provenance，she bespoke him herself and said，'And whence took she her children？'He replied，'O Queen，she took them from the city of Baghdad and the palace of the Caliphate.' Quoth Nur al-Huda，'And did she say naught to thee at the time she flew away？；'and quoth he，'Yes；

she said to my mother，'Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the nights of severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth meeting and reunion to see，and whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully let him come in the Islands of Wak to me.'' Whereupon Queen Nur al-Huda shook her head and said to him，'Had she not desired thee she had not said to thy mother this say，and had she not yearned for reunion with thee，never had she bidden thee to her stead nor acquainted thee with her abiding-place.' Rejoined Hasan，'O mistress of Kings and asylum of prince and pauper，whatso happened I have told thee and have concealed naught thereof，and I take refuge from evil with Allah and with thee；wherefore oppress me not，but have compassion on me and earn recompense and requital for me in the world to come；and aid me to regain my wife and children.Grant me my urgent need and cool mine eyes with my children and help me to the sight of them.'Then he wept and wailed and lamenting his lot recited these two couplets；'Yea，I will laud thee while the ring-dove moans，* Though fail my wish of due and lawful scope：

Ne'er was I whirled in bliss and joys gone by * Wherein I found thee not both root and rope.'[143]

The Queen shook her head and bowed it in thought a long time；

then，raising it，she said to Hasan （and indeed she was wroth）；'I have ruth on thee and am resolved to show thee in review all the girls in the city and in the provinces of my island；and in case thou know thy wife，I will deliver her to thee；but，an thou know her not and know not her place，I will put thee to death and crucify thee over the old woman's door.'Replied Hasan，'I accept this from thee，O Queen of the Age，and am content to submit to this thy condition.There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！' And he recited these couplets；'You've roused my desire and remain at rest，-- * Waked my wounded lids while you slept with zest.

And ye made me a vow ye would not hang back * But your guile when you chained me waxt manifest.

I loved you in childhood unknowing Love；* Then slay me not who am sore opprest.

Fear ye not from Allah when slaying a friend * Who gazeth on stars when folk sleep their best？