一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第60部分

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undred　and　twenty　men；　besides　the　captain　and　the　crew；）　there　was　not　a　single　barber。　So；　when　they　spread　the　sails；　the　barber　said　to　the　dyer；　'O　my　brother；　this　is　the　sea　and　we　shall　need　meat　and　drink；　and　we　have　but　little　victual　with　us　and　it　may　be　the　voyage　will　be　long　upon　us；　wherefore　methinks　I　will　shoulder　my　gear　and　pass　among　the　passengers；　and　belike　some　one　will　say　to　me；　〃e　hither；　O　barber；　and　shave　me；〃　and　I　will　shave　him　for　a　cake　of　bread　or　a　para　or　a　draught　of　water：　so　shall　we　both　profit　by　this。'

'There　is　no　harm　in　that；'　replied　the　dyer　and　laid　down　his　head　and　slept；　whilst　the　barber　took　his　razor　and　shavingtackle　and　throwing　over　his　shoulder　a　rag；　to　serve　as　napkin　（for　that　he　was　poor）；　passed　among　the　passengers。　Quoth　one　of　them；　'Ho；　master；　e　and　shave　me。'　So　he　shaved　him；　and　the　man　gave　him　a　para。　'O　my　brother；'　said　Ahousir；　'I　have　no　use　for　this　para；　hadst　thou　given　me　a　cake　of　bread；　it　were　more　blessed　to　me　in　this　sea；　for　I　have　a　shipmate　and　we　are　short　of　victual。'　So　he　gave　him　a　cake　of　bread　and　a　piece　of　cheese　and　filled　him　the　basin　with　sweet　water。　The　barber　carried　all　this　to　Aboukir　and　bade　him　eat　the　bread　and　cheese　and　drink　the　water。　So　he　ate　and　drank；　whilst　Abousir　again　took　up　his　shavinggear　and　went　round　about　the　deck　among　the　passengers。　One　man　he　shaved　for　two　cakes　of　bread　and　another　for　a　piece　of　cheese；　and　he　was　in　demand；　because　there　was　no　other　barber　on　board。　So　he　bargained　with　every　one　who　said　to　him；　'Ho；　master；　shave　me！'　for　two　cakes　of　bread　and　a　para；　and　they　gave　him　whatever　he　sought；　so　that；　by　sundown；　he　had　gotten　thirty　cakes　of　bread　and　thirty　paras；　besides　store　of　cheese　and　olives　and　botargoes。

Amongst　the　rest　he　shaved　the　captain；　to　whom　he　plained　of　his　lack　of　victual　for　the　voyage；　and　the　captain　said　to　him；　'Have　no　care　for　that；　so　long　as　ye　sail　with　us；　for　thou　art　wele　to　bring　thy　rade　every　night　and　sup　with　me。'　Then　he　returned　to　the　dyer；　whom　he　found　still　asleep；　so　he　aroused　him；　and　when　Aboukir　awoke；　he　found　at　his　head　bread　and　cheese　and　olives　and　botargoes　galore　and　said；　'Whence　gottest　thou　all　this？'　'From　the　bounty　of　God　the　Most　High；'　replied　Abousir。　Then　Aboukir　would　have　eaten；　but　the　barber　said　to　him；　'Eat　not　of　this；　O　my　brother；　but　leave　it　to　serve　us　another　time；　for　know　that　I　shaved　the　captain　and　plained　to　him　of　our　lack　of　victual：　whereupon　quoth　he；　〃Bring　thy　rade　and　sup　both　of　ye　with　me　every　night　and　wele。　And　this　night　we　sup　with　him　for　the　first　time。'　But　Aboukir　replied；　'I　am　seasick　and　cannot　rise　from　my　place；　so　let　me　sup　off　these　things　and　go　thou　alone　to　the　captain。'　'So　be　it；'　said　Abousir　and　sat　looking　at　the　other；　as　he　ate；　and　saw　him　hew　off　gobbets；　as　the　quarryman　hews　stone　from　the　mountain；　and　gulp　them　down　with　the　gulp　of　an　elephant　that　has　not　eaten　for　days；　bolting　one　mouthful　before　he　was　rid　of　the　previous　one　and　glaring　the　while　at　that　which　was　before　him　with　the　glower　of　a　ghoul　and　blowing　as　the　hungry　bull　blows　over　his　beans　and　straw。

Presently　up　came　a　sailor　and　said　to　the　barber；　'O　master；　the　captain　bids　thee　e　to　supper　and　bring　thy　rade。'　Quoth　the　barber　to　the　dyer；　'Wilt　thou　e　with　us？'　But　he　answered；　'I　cannot　walk。'　So　the　barber　went　by　himself　and　found　the　captain　and　his　pany　sitting　awaiting　him；　with　a　tray　before　them；　wherein　were　a　score　or　more　of　dishes。　When　the　captain　saw　him；　he　said；　'Where　is　thy　friend？'　And　Abousir　answered；　'O　my　lord；　he　is　seasick。'　'That　will　do　him　no　harm；'　answered　the　captain；　'his　sickness　will　pass　off；　but　do　thou　carry　him　his　supper　and　e　back；　for　we　await　thee。'　Then　he　set　apart　a　dish　of　kabobs　and　putting　therein　some　of　each　dish；　till　there　was　enough　for　ten；　gave　it　to　Abousir；　who　took　it　and　carried　it　to　the　dyer；　whom　he　found　grinding　away　with　his　dogteeth　at　that　which　was　before　him；　as　he　were　a　camel；　and　heaping　mouthful　on　mouthful　in　his　haste。　Quoth　Abousir；　'Did　I　not　say　to　thee；　〃Eat　not　＇of　this＇？〃　Indeed　the　captain　is　a　man　of　exceeding　kindness。　See　what　he　hath　sent　thee；　for　that　I　told　him　thou　wast　sick。'　'Give　it　here；'　answered　the　dyer。　So　the　barber　gave　it　to　him　and　he　snatched　it　from　him　and　fell　upon　it；　like　a　ravening　dog　or　a　raging　lion　or　a　roc　pouncing　on　a　pigeon　or　one　who　is　wellnigh　dead　for　hunger　and　seeing　victual；　falls　to　eating　thereof。

Then　Abousir　left　him　and　going　back　to　the　captain；　supped　and　enjoyed　himself　and　drank　coffee　with　him；　after　which　he　returned　to　Aboukir　and　found　that　he　had　eaten　all　that　was　in　the　platter　and　thrown　it　aside；　empty。　So　he　took　the　empty　dish　and　gave　it　to　one　of　the　captain's　servants；　then　went　back　to　Aboukir　and　slept　till　the　morning。　On　the　morrow　he　continued　to　shave；　and　all　he　got　by　way　of　meat　and　drink　he　gave　to　Aboukir；　who　ate　and　drank　and　sat　still；　rising　not　save　to　do　his　natural　occasions；　and　every　night　the　barber　brought　him　a　full　dish　from　the　captain's　table。

They　fared　thus　twenty　days；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　galleon　cast　anchor　in　the　harbour　of　a　city；　whereupon　they　took　leave　of　the　captain　and　landing；　entered　the　town　and　took　them　a　lodging　in　a　khan。　Abousir　furnished　the　room　and　buying　a　cooking　pot　and　a　platter　and　spoons　and　what　else　they　needed；　fetched　meat　and　cooked　it；　but　Aboukir　fell　asleep　the　moment　he　entered　the　khan　and　awoke　not　till　his　panion　aroused　him　and　set　the　tray　of　food　before　him。　When　he　awoke；　he　ate　and　saying　to　Abousir；　'Blame　me　not；　for　I　am　giddy；'　fell　asleep　again。　Thus　he　did　forty　days；　whilst；　every　day；　the　barber　took　his　tools　and　making　the　round　of　the　city；　wrought　for　that　which　fell　to　his　lot；　and　returning；　found　the　dyer　asleep　and　aroused　him。　No　sooner　did　he　wake　than　he　fell　ravenously　upon　the　food；　eating　as　one　who　cannot　have　his　fill　nor　be　content；　after　which　he　went　to　sleep　again。

On　this　wise　he　passed　other　forty　days；　and　whenever　the　barber　said　to　him；　'Sit　up　and　shake　off　this　torpor　and　go　forth　and　take　an　airing　in　the　city；　for　it　is　a　bright　and　pleasant　place　and　hath　not　its　equal　among　the　cities；'　he　would　answer；　saying；　'Blame　me　not；　for　I　am　＇still＇　giddy。'　Abousir　cared　not　to　vex　him　nor　give　him　hard　words；　but；　on　the　fortyfirst　day；　he　himself　fell　sick　and　could　not　go　abroad；　so　he　pressed　the　porter　of　the　khan　into　his　service；　and　he　did　their　occasions　and　brought　them　meat　and　drink　four　days；　whilst　Aboukir　did　nothing　but　eat　and　sleep。　At　the　end　of　this　time；　the　barber's　sickness　redoubled　on　him；　till　he　lost　his　senses　for　stress　thereof；　and　Aboukir；　feeling　the　pangs　of　hunger；　arose　and　sought　in　his　rade's　clothes；　where　he　found　a　thousand　paras。　So　he　took　them　and　shutting　the　door　of　the　chamber　upon　Abousir；　went　out；　without　telling　any；　and　the　doorkeeper　of　the　inn　was　then　at　market　and　thus　saw　him　not　go　out。

Aboukir　betook　himself　to　the　bazaar　and　clad　himself　in　rich　apparel；　at　a　cost　of　five　hundred　paras；　then　he　proceeded　to　walk　about　and　divert　himself　by　viewing　the　place；　which　he　found　a　city　whose　like　was　not　among　cities；　but　he　noted　that　all　its　people　were　clad　in　clothes　of　white　and　blue；　without　other　colour。　Presently　he　came　to　a　dyer's　and　seeing　nought　but　blue　in　his　shop；　pulled　out　to　him　a　kerchief　and　said；　'O　master；　take　this　kerchief　and　dye　it　and　take　thy　hire。'　Quoth　the　dyer；　'The　cost　of　dying　this　will　be　twenty　dirhems。'　'In　our　country；'　said　Aboukir；　'we　dye　it　for　two。'　'Then　go　and　dye　it　in　your　own　country；'　answered　the　dyer。　'As　for　me；　my　price　is　twenty　dirhems　and　I　will　not　bate　a　tittle　thereof。'　'What　colour　wilt　thou　dye　it？'　asked　Aboukir；　and　the　dyer　said；　'I　will　dye　it　blue。'　Quoth　Aboukir；　'But　I　want　it　dyed　red。'　'I　know　not　how　to　dye　red；'　answered　the　dyer。　'Then　dye　it　green；'　rejoined　Aboukir。　But　the　dyer　said；　'I　know　not　how　to　dye　green。'　'Yellow；'　said　Aboukir。　'Nor　yet　yellow；'　answered　the　dyer；　and　Aboukir　went　on　to　name　the　different　colours　to　him；　one　after　another；　till　the　dyer　said；　'We　are　here　in　this　city　forty　masterdyers；　neither　more　nor　less；　and　when　one　of　us　dies；　we　teach　his　son　the　craft。　If　he　leave　no　son；　we　abide　wanting　one；　and　if　he　leave　two　sons；　we　teach　one　of　them　the　craft；　and　if　he　die；　we　teach　his　brother。　This　our　craft　is　straitly　ordered　and　we　know　not　how　to　dye　aught　but　blue。'

Then　said　Aboukir；　'Know　that　I　also　am　a　dyer　and　know　how　to　dye　all　colours；　and　I　would　have　thee　take　me　into　thy　service　on　hire；　and　I　will　teach　thee　my　art；　so　thou　mayst　glory　therein　over　all　the　pany　of　dyers。'　But　the　dyer　answered；　'We　never　admit　a　stranger　into　our　craft。'　'And　what　if　I　open　a　dyery　for　myself？'　asked　Aboukir。　'We　will　not　suffer　thee　to　do　that；'　replied　the　other；　whereupon　he　left　him　and　going　to　a　second　dyer；　made　him　the　like　proposal；　but　he　returned　him　the　same　answer　as　the　first；　and　he　ceased　not　to　go　from　one　to　another；　till　he　had　made　the　round　of　the　whole　forty；　but　they　would　not　accept　of　him　either　to　master　or　journey