一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第67章

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s　goods　and　take　the　key　of　his　shop；'　and　went　his　way；　he　and　the　man。

Then　said　Abousir　to　Aboukir；　'What　aileth　thee？　Whoever　brings　thee　aught；　thou　losest　it　for　him。　What　is　gone　of　this　angry　man's　stuff？'　'O　my　neighbour；'　answered　the　dyer；　'it　was　stolen　from　me。'　'Wonderful！'　exclaimed　the　barber。　'Whenever　any　one　gives　thee　aught；　a　thief　steals　it　from　thee！　Art　thou　then　the　resort　of　the　whole　college　of　thieves？　But　I　doubt　me　thou　liest：　so　tell　me　the　truth。'　'O　my　neighbour；'　replied　Aboukir；　'none　hath　stolen　aught　from　me。'　'What　then　dost　thou　with　the　people's　goods？'　asked　Abousir。　And　the　dyer　said；　'Whenever　any　one　giveth　me　aught　to　dye；　I　sell　it　and　spend　the　price。'　Quoth　Abousir；　'is　this　permitted　thee　of　God？'　'I　only　do　this　out　of　poverty；'　answered　Aboukir；　'because　trade　is　dull　with　me　and　I　am　poor　and　have　nothing。'　And　he　went　on　to　plain　to　him　of　the　slackness　of　his　trade　and　his　lack　of　means。

Abousir　in　like　manner　lamented　the　slackness　of　his　own　trade；　saying；　'I　am　a　master　of　my　craft　and　have　not　my　equal　in　this　city；　but　no　one　is　shaved　at　my　shop；　because　I　am　a　poor　man；　and　I　loathe　this　craft；　O　my　brother。'　'And　I　also；'　answered　Aboukir；　'loathe　my　own　craft；　by　reason　of　its　slackness；　but；　O　my　brother；　what　call　is　there　for　our　abiding　in　this　city？　Let　us　depart　from　it　and　divert　ourselves　with　foreign　travel；　carrying　our　crafts　in　our　hands；　the　which　are　in　demand　in　all　countries；　so　shall　we　breathe　the　air　and　be　rid　of　this　grievous　trouble。'　And　he　ceased　not　to　mend　travel　to　Abousir；　till　the　latter　became　wishful　to　set　out；　whereat　Aboukir　rejoiced　and　recited　the　following　verses：

　　Forsake　thy　native　land；　it　thou　advancement　seek；　and　hie　Abroad　for　five　advantages　in　foreign　travel　lie。
　　The　putting　off　of　care；　the　gain　of　livelihood　and　lore　And　manners　and　the　pany　of　noble　folk　and　high。
　　If　it　be　said；　'Distress　and　woe　and　severance　of　loves　And　hardships　still　in　travel　be　beneath　a　foreign　sky；'
　　I　trow　'twere　better　for　a　man　that　he　should　die　than　live　Still　in　humiliation's　house；　'twixt　envier　and　spy。　
Then　they　agreed　to　travel　together　and　Aboukir　said　to　Abousir；　'O　my　neighbour；　we　are　bee　brethren　and　there　is　no　difference　between　us；　so　it　behoves　us　to　recite　the　first　chapter　of　the　Koran　＇in　token　of　agreement＇　that　he　of　us　who　gets　work　shall　of　his　profit　feed　him　who　is　out　of　work；　and　whatever　is　left；　we　will　lay　in　a　chest；　and　when　we　e　back　to　Alexandria　we　will　divide　it　fairly　and　equally。'　'So　be　it；'　answered　Abousir；　and　they　repeated　the　first　chapter　of　the　Koran　on　this　understanding。　Then　Ahousir　locked　up　his　shop　and　gave　the　keys　to　the　landlord；　whilst　Aboukir　left　his　shop　locked　and　sealed　and　let　the　key　lie　with　the　Cadi's　serjeant；　after　which　they　took　their　gear　and　embarked　on　the　morrow　in　a　galleon　upon　the　salt　sea。　They　set　sail　the　same　day　and　fortune　attended　them；　for；　of　Abousir's　great　good　luck；　of　all　that　were　in　the　ship　（and　there　were　therein　an　hundred　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　t