一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第11部分

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　　Lo；　the　ways　of　the　Jews　and　their　faith　I've　renounced　And　my　faith　is　the　noblest　of　faiths　hence　fore'er。
　　To　the　Clement　a　Muslim's　prostration　I　make　And　to　follow　the　law　of　Mohammed　I　swear。
　　Fet　not　our　loves　of　old　time；　O　Mesrour；　And　keep　thou　our　vows　and　our　troth　plight　with　care。
　　My　faith　for　thy　love　and　thy　sake　I　have　changed　And　my　secret　for　passion　I'll　never　declare；
　　So；　if；　like　to　the　noble；　our　love　thou've　preserved；　Be　no　laggard；　but　hasten　to　us　to　repair。　
Then　she　folded　the　letter　and　gave　it　to　her　maid　Huboub；　saying；　'Keep　it　in　thy　pocket；　till　we　send　it　to　Mesrour。'

Presently　in　came　the　Jew　and　seeing　them　joyous；　said　to　them；　'How　es　it　that　I　find　you　merry？　Hath　a　letter　reached　you　from　your　friend　Mesrour？'　'We　have　no　helper　against　thee　save　God；　blessed　and　exalted　be　He！'　replied　Zein　el　Mewasif。　'He　will　deliver　us　from　thy　tyranny；　and　except　thou　restore　to　us　our　country　and　home；　we　will　plain　of　thee　tomorrow　to　the　Cadi　and　governor　of　this　town。'　Quoth　he；　'Who　did　off　the　shackles　from　your　legs？　But　needs　must　I　let　make　each　of　you　shackles　ten　pounds　in　weight　and　go　round　about　the　city　with　you。'　'All　that　thou　purposest　against　us；'　replied　Huboub；　'thou　shalt　fall　into　thyself；　so　it　please　God　the　Most　High；　by　token　that　thou　hast　exiled　us　from　our　homes；　and　tomorrow　we　shall　stand；　we　and　thou；　before　the　governor　of　the　city。'

On　this　wise　they　passed　the　night　and　the　next　morning　the　Jew　went　out　to　order　fresh　shackles；　whereupon　Zein　el　Mewasif　rose　and　repaired　with　her　women　to　the　courthouse；　where　she　found　the　four　Cadis　and　saluted　them。　They　all　returned　her　salutation　and　the　Chief　Cadi　said　to　those　about　him；　'Verily　this　damsel　is　lovely　as　Ez　Zehra　（20）　and　all　who　see　her　love　her　and　prostrate　themselves　to　her　beauty　and　grace。'　Then　he　despatched　four　sergeants；　who　were　sherifs；　（21）　to　fetch　the　Jew　after　the　most　abject　fashion：　so；　when　he　returned　with　the　shackles　and　found　none　in　the　house；　he　was　confounded；　but；　as　he　abode　in　perplexity；　up　came　the　officers　and　laying　hold　of　him；　beat　him　soundly　and　dragged　him　face；　downward；　before　the　Cadi。　When　the　latter　saw　him；　he　cried　out　in　his　face　and　said　to　him；　'Out　on　thee；　O　enemy　of　God；　is　it　e　to　such　a　pass　with　thee　that　thou　dost　thus　and　bringest　these　women　far　from　their　country　and　stealest　their　good　and　wouldst　make　them　Jews？　How　darest　thou　seek　to　pervert　Muslims？'　'O　my　lord；'　answered　the　Jew；　'this　woman　is　my　wife。'

When　the　Cadis　heard　this；　they　all　cried　out；　saying；　'Cast　this　dog　on　the　ground　and　smite　him　on　the　face　with　your　sandals　and　beat　him　soundly；　for　his　offence　is　unpardonable。'　So　they　pulled　off　his　silken　clothes　and　clad　him　in　his　wife's　raiment　of　haircloth；　after　which　they　threw　him　down　and　plucked　out　his　beard　and　belaboured　him　about　the　face　with　sandals。　Then　they　set　him　on　an　ass；　face　to　crupper；　and　causing　him　take　its　tail　in　his　hand；　paraded　him　round　about　the　town；　after　which　they　brought　him　back　to　the　Cadis；　who　all　condemned　him　to　have　his　feet　and　hands　cut　off　and　after　be　crucified。　When　the　accursed　wretch　heard　this；　his　wit　forsook　him　and　he　was　confounded　and　said；　'O　my　lords　the　Cadis；　what　would　ye　of　me？'　'Say；'　answered　they；　〃'This　damsel　is　not　my　wife　and　the　money　is　her　money；　and　I　have　transgressed　against　her　and　brought　her　far　from　her　country。〃'　So　he　confessed　to　this　and　the　Cadis　recorded　his　confession　in　legal　form　and　taking　the　money　from　him；　gave　it　to　Zein　el　Mewasif；　together　with　their　voucher。　Then　she　went　away　and　all　who　saw　her　were　confounded　at　her　beauty　and　grace；　whilst　each　of　the　Cadis　looked　for　her　to　fall　to　his　share。　But；　when　she　came　to　her　lodging；　she　made　ready　all　that　she　needed　and　waited　till　night。　Then　she　took　what　was　light　of　carriage　and　heavy　of　worth；　and　setting　out　with　her　maids；　under　cover　of　the　darkness；　fared　on　three　days　and　three　nights　without　stopping。

Meanwhile；　the　Cadis　ordered　the　Jew　to　prison　and　on　the　morrow　they　looked　for　her　ing　to　them；　they　and　their　assessors；　but　she　presented　herself　not　to　any　of　them。　Then　said　the　Chief　Cadi；　'I　wish　today　to　go　apleasuring　without　the　town　on　an　occasion　I　have。'　So　he　mounted　his　mule　and　taking　his　servant　with　him；　went　coasting　about　the　streets　of　the　town；　searching　high　and　low　for　Zein　el　Mewasif；　but　to　no　effect。

Presently　he　came　upon　the　other　three　Cadis；　going　about　on　the　same　errand；　each　deeming　himself　the　only　one　to　whom　she　had　pledged　herself。　He　asked　them　what　they　did　there　and　they　told　him　their　business；　whereby　he　saw　that　their　plight　was　as　his　plight　and　their　quest　as　his　quest。　So　they　all　four　went　round　about　the　city；　seeking　her；　but　could　light　on　no　trace　of　her　and　returned　to　their　houses；　sick　for　love；　and　lay　down　on　the　bed　of　languor。　Presently　the　Chief　Cadi　bethought　himself　of　the　blacksmith；　so　he　sent　for　him　and　said　to　him；　'O　blacksmith；　knowest　thou　what　is　e　of　the　damsel　whom　thou　didst　direct　to　me？　By　Allah；　an　thou　discover　her　not　to　me；　I　will　beat　thee　with　whips。'　When　the　smith　heard　this；　he　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Her；　that　possesseth　me　in　love；　kind　Fortune　did　endow　With　beauty　all　nor　aught　thereof　to　others　did　allow。
　　The　eye　of　a　gazelle　she　hath；　her　scent　is　ambergris；　She　shines；　a　sun；　and　undulates；　a　lake；　and　sways；　a　bough。　
Then　said　he；　'By　Allah；　O　my　lord；　since　she　went　out　from　thy　worshipful　presence；　I　have　not　set　eyes　on　her！　Indeed；　she　took　possession　of　my　heart　and　senses　and　all　my　talk　and　thought　is　of　her。　I　went　to　her　house；　but　found　her　not；　nor　found　I　any　who　could　give　me　news　of　her；　and　it　is　as　if　she　had　plunged　into　the　abysses　of　the　sea　or　been　caught　up　into　the　sky。'

When　the　Cadi　heard　this；　he　gave　a　groan；　that　his　soul　was　like　to　depart　therefor；　and　said；　'By　Allah；　it　would　have　been　well；　had　we　never　seen　her！'　Then　the　smith　went　away；　whilst　the　Cadi　fell　down　on　his　bed　and　became　sick　of　languor　for　her　sake；　and　on　like　wise　fared　it　with　the　other　three　Cadis　and　the　assessors。　The　physicians　paid　them　frequent　visits；　but　found　in　them　no　ailment　requiring　a　leach：　so　the　chief　men　of　the　city　went　in　to　the　Chief　Cadi　and　saluting　him；　questioned　him　of　his　case；　whereupon　he　sighed　and　discovered　to　them　that　which　was　in　his　heart；　reciting　the　following　verses：

　　Spare　me　your　blame；　for　sickness'　pains　enough　on　me　are　keen；　And　hold　excused　the　Cadi　who　doth　judge　the　folk　between。
　　Let　him　who　blameth　me　for　love　excuse　me　and　not　blame；　For　still　unblameworthy　the　slain　of　passion　are；　I　ween。
　　Cadi　was　I　and　fortune　fair　raised　me　to　high　estate；　By　script　and　pen；　and　life　to　me　was　pleasant　and　serene；
　　Till　from　a　girl's　looks；　who　to　shed　my　blood　came；　with　a　shaft　I　was　transfixed；　whose　deadly　stroke　no　leach　might　countervene。
　　A　Muslim　maid；　she　came　to　me；　plaining　of　unright；　Her　mouth　with　teeth　like　strings　of　pearls　unvalued　was　beseen。
　　Under　her　veil　I　looked　and　she　a　full　moon　straight　displayed　That　through　the　middle　dark　of　night　breaks　out　in　all　its　sheen。
　　A　lustrous　visage；　sugared　lips　and　smiling；　wondersweet；　Beauty　indeed　enveloped　her　from　head　to　foot；　my　queen。
　　'Midst　Arabs　and　barbarians；　by　Allah；　to　mine　eyes；　To　see　the　like　of　her　fair　face　hath　ne'er　vouchsafed　been！
　　Sweet；　what　didst　promise　me　and　saidst；　'O　Cadi　of　the　folk；　Whenas　I　promise；　I　perform；　and　what　I　say　I　mean。'
　　This　is　my　case　and　that　wherewith　I　have　afflicted　been；　So　question　me　no　more；　good　folk；　of　this　my　dole　and　teen。　
Then　he　wept　sore　and　gave　one　sob　and　his　soul　departed　his　body。　When　they　saw　this；　they　washed　him　and　shrouded　him　and　prayed　over　him　and　buried　him；　graving　the　following　verses　on　his　tomb：

　　The　traits　of　lovers　were　fulfilled　in　him　who　es；　by　her　He　loved　and　by　her　rigours　slain；　unto　the　sepulchre。
　　Cadi　above　the　folk　was　he　and　him　it　did　rejoice　The　sword　of　justice　in　its　sheath　to　keep　a　prisoner。
　　But　Fate　against　him　did　decree；　nor　e'er　before　his　time　Saw　we　the　lord　unto　his　slave　abase　him　and　defer。　
Then　they　mitted　him　to　the　mercy　of　God　and　went　away　to　the　second　Cadi；　in　pany　with　the　physician；　but　found　in　him　no　hurt　or　ailment　requiring　a　leach。　So　they　questioned　him　of　his　case　and　he　told　them　what　ailed　him；　whereupon　they　blamed　him　and　chid　him　for　his　folly；　and　he　answered　them　with　these　verses：

　　I'm　cursed　with　her；my　like　was　blameless　ayeand　dead　I'm　shotten　with　a　shaft　from　hand　of　archer　sped。
　　A　woman　unto　me　there　came；　Huboub　by　name；　plaining　of　unright　and　Fortune's　drearihead；
　　And　with　her　came　a　girl；　who　showed　a　face　that　passed　The　full　moon's　light　athwart　the　middle　darkness　spread。
　　Her　beauties　she　displayed　and　her　plaint　preferred　What　while　in　floods　there　ran　the　tears　her　eyelids　shed。
　　I　hearkened　to　her　speech　and　looked　upon　her　face　And　sore　she　made　me　pine　with　smiling　lips　and　red。
　　Then　with　my　heart　away　she　fared　and　left　me　here；　The　hostage　of　desire。　Ah；　whither　hath　she　fled？
　　This　then　is　all　my　case；　have　ruth　upon　my　plight　And　take　my　se