第114章 NOUREDDIN ALI AND THE DAMSEL ENIS EL JELIS.(3)

MeanwhileNoureddinfearing the issue of the affairspent the whole day in the gardens and came back by night to his mother's apartmentwhere he slept and rising before dayreturned to the gardens. He lived thus for a whole monthnot showing his face to his fathertill at last his mother said to the Vizier'O my lordshall we lose our own son as well as the damsel？ If things continue thus for longthe lad will flee forth from us.'What is to be done？'said he： and she answered'Do thou watch this nightand when he comesseize on him and frighten him. I will rescue him from thee and do thou then make peace with him and give him the girlfor she loves him and he her；and I will pay thee her price.'So the Vizier watched that night and when his son camehe seized him and throwing him downknelt on his breast and made as if he would cut his throat；but his mother came to his succour and said to her husband'What wilt thou do with him？'Quoth he'I mean to kill him.'And Noureddin said to his father 'Am I of so little account with thee？'Whereupon the Vizier's eyes filled with tears and he replied'O my sonis the loss of my goods and my life of so little account in thine eyes？'

Quoth Noureddin'HearO my fatherwhat the poet says：

Pardon me： trueI have sinned： yet the sagacious man Ceases never to pardon freely the erring wight.

Surelythereforethy foe may hope for pardon from theeSince he is in the abyss and thou on honour's height！'

Then the Vizier rose from off his breastsaying'O my sonI forgive thee！'for his heart was softened. Noureddin rose and kissed the hand of his fatherwho said to him'If I knew that thou wouldst deal fairly by Enis el JelisI would give her to thee.'O my father，'replied Noureddin'how should I not deal fairly by her？'Quoth the Vizier'O my sonI charge thee not to take another wife nor concubine to share with her nor sell her.'

'O my father，'answered Noureddin'I swear to thee that I will do none of these things.'Then he went in to the damsel and abode with her a whole yearwhilst God caused the King to forget the affair. The matterindeedcame to Muin's earsbut he dared not speak of itby reason of the favour in which the Vizier Fezl stood with the Sultan. At the end of the yearthe Vizier Fezl went one day to the bath and coming outwhilst still in a sweat，the air smote him and he caught cold and took to his bed. His malady gained upon him and sleeplessness was long upon him；so he called his son Noureddin and said to him'O my sonknow that fortune is lotted out and the term of life fixedand needs must every soul drain the cup of death.'And he repeated the following verses：

I'm dead： yet glory be to Him that dieth not；For that I needs must dieindeedfull well I wot，He is no kingwho dies with kingship in his handFor sovranty belongs to Him that dieth not.

Then he continued'O my sonI have no charge to lay on thee，except that thou fear God and look to the issue of thine actions and cherish the damsel Enis el Jelis.'O my father，'said Noureddin'who is like unto thee？ Indeed thou art renowned for the practice of virtue and the praying of the preachers for thee in the pulpits.'Quoth Fezl'O my sonI hope for acceptance from God the Most High.'Then he pronounced the two professions of the faith and was numbered among the blessed. The palace was filled with crying and lamentationand the news of his death reached the King and the people of the cityand even the children in the schools wept for Fezi ben Khacan. Then his son Noureddin arose and took order for his funeraland the Amirs and Viziers and grandees were presentamongst them the Vizier Muin ben Sawa；and as the funeral train came forth of the palaceone of the mourners recited the following verses：

The fifth day I departed and left my friends alone： They laid me out and washed me upon a slab of stone；Then stripped me of the raiment that on my body wasThat they might put upon me clothes other than my own On four men's necks they bore me unto the place of prayer And prayed a prayer above me by no prostration known.

Then in a vaulted dwelling they laid me. Though the years Shall wasteits door will never be open to them thrown.

When they had laid him in the earthNoureddin returned with the folk；and he lamented with groans and tears and the tongue of the case repeated the following verses：

On the fifth day they departed in the eventideand I Took of them the last leave-takingwhen they went and left me here.

When they turned away and left melo！the soul with them did go.

And I said'Return.'It answered'Wherealas！should I recur；Shall I come back to a body whence the life and blood are flown？

Nothing now but bones are left itrattling in the sepulchre.

Lo！my eyesexcess of weeping hath put out their sightI trow，And a deafness eke is fallen on my ears： I cannot hear.'

He abode a long while in great grief for his fathertill one dayas he sat in his housethere came a knocking at the door；

so he rose and opening the doorfound there a man who had been one of his father's friends and boon-companions. He entered and kissing Noureddin's handsaid to him'O my lordhe who has left the like of thee is not dead；and to this pass （death） came even the lord of the first and the last. O my lordtake comfort and leave mourning！'Thereupon Noureddin rose and going to the guest-chambertransported thither all that he needed.

Then his friends gathered together to him and he took his slave-girl again and collecting round him ten of the sons of the merchantsbegan to eat meat and drink winegiving entertainment after entertainment and dispensing gifts and favours with a lavish handtill one day his steward came to him and said'O my lord Noureddinhast thou not heard the saying'He who spends and does not reckonbecomes poor without knowing it？''And he repeated the following verses：

I'll hold my money fastknowingas well as I knowThat 'tis my sword and shield against my every foe.

If I should lavish it on those who love me notMy luck among the folk would change to grief and woe.

So I will eat and drink my wealth for my own good Nor upon any man a single doit bestow.