一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第57章

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their　women；　and　amongst　others　＇I　have　heard　tell　of＇　a　certain　man　who　perished；　for　that　he　obeyed　his　wife's　mandment　and　had　to　do　with　her　＇at　an　unseasonable　time＇。'　'How　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　Shimas　answered；　saying；　'They　tell　that

　The　Man　and　His　Wilful　Wife。

A　certain　man　had　a　wife　whom　he　loved　and　honoured；　giving　ear　to　her　speech　and　doing　according　to　her　counsel。　Moreover；　he　had　a　garden；　which　he　had　newly　planted　with　his　own　hand；　and　was　wont　to　go　thither　every　day；　to　tend　and　water　it。　One　day　his　wife　said　to　him；　〃What　hast　thou　planted　in　thy　garden？〃　And　he　answered；　〃All　that　thou　lovest　and　desirest；　and　I　am　assiduous　in　tending　and　watering　it。〃　Quoth　she；　〃Wilt　thou　not　carry　me　thither　and　show　it　to　me；　so　I　may　see　it　and　offer　thee　up　a　prayer　＇for　its　prosperity＇；　for　that　my　prayers　are　effectual？〃　〃I　will　well；〃　answered　he；　〃but　have　patience　with　me　till　the　morrow；　when　I　will　e　and　take　thee。〃　So；　on　the　morrow；　he　carried　her　to　the　garden　and　entered　with　her　therein。

Now　two　young　men　saw　them　enter　from　afar　and　said　to　each　other；　〃Yonder　man　is　an　adulterer　and　yonder　woman　an　adulteress；　and　they　have　not　entered　this　garden　but　to　do　adultery　therein。〃　So　they　followed　them；　to　see　what　they　would　do；　and　hid　themselves　in　a　corner　of　the　garden。　The　man　and　his　wife　abode　awhile　therein；　and　presently　he　said　to　her；　〃Pray　me　the　prayer　thou　didst　promise　me；〃　but　she　answered；　saying；　〃I　will　not　pray　for　thee；　until　thou　fulfil　my　desire　of　that　which　women　seek　from　men。〃　〃Out　on　thee；　O　woman！〃　cried　he。　〃Hast　thou　not　thy　fill　of　me　in　the　house？　Here　I　fear　scandal；　more　by　token　that　thou　divertest　me　from　my　affairs。　Fearest　thou　not　that　some　one　will　see　us？〃　Quoth　she；　〃We　need　have　no　care　for　that；　seeing　that　we　do　neither　sin　nor　lewdness；　and　as　for　the　watering　of　the　garden；　that　may　wait；　for　that　thou　canst　water　it　whenas　thou　wilt。〃　And　she　would　take　neither　excuse　nor　reason　from　him；　but　was　instant　with　him　in　seeking　dalliance。

So　he　arose　and　lay　with　her；　which　when　the　young　men　aforesaid　saw；　they　ran　upon　them　and　seized　them；　saying；　〃We　will　not　let　you　go。　for　ye　are　adulterers；　and　except　we　lie　with　the　woman；　we　will　denounce　you　to　the　police。〃　〃Out　on　you！〃　answered　the　man。　〃This　is　my　wife　and　I　am　the　master　of　the　garden。〃　They　paid　no　heed　to　him；　but　fell　upon　the　woman；　who　cried　out　to　him　for　succour；　saying；　〃Suffer　them　not　to　defile　me！〃　So　he　came　up　to　them；　calling　out　for　help；　but　one　of　them　turned　on　him　and　smote　him　with　his　dagger　and　slew　him。　Then　they　returned　to　the　woman　and　ravished　her。　This　I　tell　thee；　O　king'　continued　the　vizier；　'but　that　thou　mayst　know　that　it　behoveth　not　men　to　give　ear　unto　a　woman's　talk　neither　obey　her　in　aught　nor　accept　her　judgment　in　counsel。　Beware；　then；　lest　thou　don　the　garment　of　ignorance；　after　that　of　knowledge　and　wisdom；　and　follow　perverse　counsel；　after　knowing　that　which　is　true　and　profitable。　Wherefore　ensue　thou　not　a　paltry　pleasure；　whose　end　is　corruption　and　whose　inclining　is　unto　sore　and　uttermost　perdition。'

When　the　king　heard　this；　he　said　to　Shimas；　'Tomorrow　I　will　e　forth　to　them；　if　it　be　the　will　of　God　the　Most　High。'　So　Shimas　returned　to　the　grandees　and　notables　who　were　present　and　told　them　what　the　king　had　said。　But　this　came　to　the　ears　of　the　favourite；　so　she　went　in　to　the　king　and　said　to　him；　'A　king's　subjects　should　be　his　slaves；　but　thou　art　bee　a　slave　to　thy　subjects；　for　that　thou　standest　in　awe　of　them　and　fearest　their　mischief。　They　do　but　seek　to　make　proof　of　thy　temper；　and　if　they　find　thee　weak　they　will　disdain　thee；　but；　if　they　find　thee　stout　and　brave　they　will　stand　in　awe　of　thee。　On　this　wise　do　ill　viziers　with　their　king；　for　that　their　wiles　are　many：　but　I　will　make　manifest　unto　thee　the　truth　of　their　malice。　If　thou　fall　in　with　their　demands；　they　will　cause　thee　leave　thy　mandment　and　do　their　will；　nor　will　they　cease　to　lead　thee　on　from　affair　to　affair　till　they　cast　thee　into　destruction；　and　thy　case　will　be　as　that　of　the　merchant　and　the　thieves。'　'How　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　she　answered；　'I　have　heard　tell　that

　The　Merchant　and　the　Thieves。

There　was　once　a　wealthy　merchant；　who　set　out　for　a　certain　city　with　merchandise；　purposing　to　sell　it　there；　and　when　he　came　thither；　he　hired　a　lodging　there　and　took　up　his　abode　therein。　Now　certain　thieves　saw　him；　who　were　wont　to　lie　in　wait　for　merchants；　that　they　might　steal　their　goods；　so　they　went　to　his　house　and　cast　about　to　enter　in；　but　could　find　no　way　thereto；　and　their　captain　said；　〃I　will　acplish　you　his　affair。〃　Then　he　went　away　and　donning　a　physician's　habit；　threw　over　his　shoulder　a　bag　containing　medicines；　with　which　he　set　out；　crying；　〃Who　lacks　a　doctor？〃　and　fared　on　till　he　came　to　the　merchant's　lodging　and　saw　him　sitting　eating　the　morning　meal。　So　he　said　to　him；　〃Dost　thou　want　a　physician？〃　〃Not　I；〃　answered　the　merchant；　〃but　sit　and　eat　with　me。〃　So　the　thief　sat　down　over　against　him　and　began　to　eat。

Now　this　merchant　was　a　great　eater；　and　the　thief；　seeing　this；　said　to　himself；　〃I　have　found　my　opportunity。〃　So　he　turned　to　his　host　and　said　to　him；　〃It　behoveth　me　to　give　thee　an　admonition；　and　after　thy　kindness　to　me；　I　cannot　hide　it　from　thee。　I　see　thee　to　be　a　great　eater　and　the　cause　of　this　is　a　disorder　in　thy　stomach；　so　hasten　to　take　order　for　thy　cure；　or　thine　affair　will　end　in　perdition。'　Quoth　the　merchant；　〃My　body　is　sound　and　my　stomach　quick　of　digestion；　and　though　I　be　a　hearty　eater；　yet　is　there　no　disease　in　me；　to　God　be　the　praise　and　the　thanks！〃　〃It　may　so　appear　unto　thee；〃　rejoined　the　thief；　〃but　I　know　thou　hast　a　latent　disorder　in　thy　vitals　and　if　thou　hearken　to　me；　thou　wilt　medicine　thyself。'　〃And　where　shall　I　find　him　who　knoweth　my　remedy？〃　asked　the　merchant。　〃God　is　the　Healer；〃　answered　the　robber；　〃but　a　physician　like　myself　tendeth　the　sick　to　the　best　of　his　power。〃　And　the　other　said；　〃Show　me　my　remedy　and　give　me　thereof。〃　So　he　gave　him　a　powder；　wherein　was　great　plenty　of　aloes；　saying；　〃Use　this　tonight。〃

When　the　night　came；　the　merchant　tasted　the　powder　and　found　it　nauseous　of　taste；　nevertheless　he　misdoubted　not　of　it；　but　swallowed　it　all　and　found　ease　therefrom　that　night。　Next　night　the　thief　brought　him　another　powder；　wherein　was　yet　more　aloes；　and　he　took　it。　It　purged　him　that　night；　but　he　bore　with　this　and　rejected　it　not。　When　the　thief　saw　that　he　gave　ear　unto　his　word　and　put　trust　in　him；　he　brought　him　a　deadly　drug　and　gave　it　to　him。　The　merchant　swallowed　it　and　no　sooner　had　he　done　this　than　that　which　was　in　his　belly　fell　down　and　his　guts　were　rent　in　sunder；　and　by　the　morrow　he　was　a　dead　man；　whereupon　the　thieves　came　and　took　all　that　belonged　to　him。　This；'　added　the　favourite；　'I　tell　thee；　O　king；　but　that　thou　mayst　not　give　ear　to　these　deluders；　else　will　there　befall　thee　that　whereby　thou　wilt　destroy　thyself。'　〃Thou　sayst　sooth；'　replied　the　king；　'I　will　not　go　forth　to　them。'

On　the　morrow；　the　folk　assembled　together　and　repairing　to　the　king's　door；　sat　there　the　most　part　of　the　day；　till　they　despaired　of　his　ing　forth；　when　they　returned　to　Shimas　and　said　to　him；　'O　sage　philosopher　and　learned　master；　seest　thou　not　that　this　ignorant　boy　doth　but　redouble　in　falsehood　to　us？　Verily　it　were　of　reason　to　take　the　kingdom　from　him　and　give　it　to　another；　so　our　affairs　may　be　set　in　order　and　our　estates　maintained；　but　go　thou　in　to　him　a　third　time　and　tell　him　that　nought　hindereth　us　from　rising　against　him　and　taking　the　kingship　from　him　but　＇the　remembrance＇　of　his　father's　goodness　to　us　and　that　　us　of　oaths　and　engagements　＇with　respect　to　him＇。　However；　tomorrow；　we　will　all；　to　the　last　of　us；　assemble　here　with　our　arms　and　break　down　the　gate　of　the　palace；　and　if　he　e　forth　to　us　and　do　that　which　we　wish；　well　and　good；　else　will　we　go　in　to　him　and　slay　him　and　put　the　kingdom　in　another's　hand。'

So　Shimas　went　in　to　him　and　said；　'O　king；　that　wallowest　in　thy　lusts　and　thy　pleasures；　what　is　this　thou　dost　with　thyself　and　wh