第56章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(31)

Whereupon he rose and fetching a copy of the Koransaid to me，'Swear to me that thou wilt never look upon another man than myselfnor incline to him.'I did as he wished and he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and embraced me and my whole heart was taken with love of him. Presently they set food before us and we ate and dranktill we were satisfied and night closed in upon us. Then he took me and went to bed with me and ceased not to kiss and embrace me till the morning. I lived with him in all delight and happiness for a monthat the end of which time I asked his leave to go to the bazaar to buy certain stuffs that I wantedand he gave me leave. So I veiled myself and taking with me the old woman and a serving-maidwent to the bazaarwhere I sat down in the shop of a young merchantwhom the old woman knew and had recommended to mesaying'The father of this young man diedwhen he was a boyand left him great wealth： he has great store of goodsand thou wilt find what thou seekest with him，for none in the bazaar has finer stuffs than he.'So she said to him'Show this lady thy finest stuffs.'And he answered'I hear and obey.'Then she began to sound his praises；but I said'I have no concern with thy praises of him；all I want is to buy what I need of him and return home.'So he brought me what I soughtand I offered him the pricebut he refused to take it，saying'It is a guest-gift to thee on the occasion of thy visit to me this day.'Then I said to the old woman'If he will not take the moneygive him back the stuff.'By Allah！'said he'I will take nothing from thee！I make thee a present of it allin return for one kiss；for that is more precious to me than all that is in my shop.'Quoth the old woman'What will a kiss profit thee？'Then she said to me'O my daughterthou hearest what this young man says. What harm will it do theeif he take from thee a kiss and thou get the stuffs for nothing？'Dost thou not know，'answered I'that I am bound by an oath？'But she said'Hold thy tongue and let him kiss theeand thou shalt keep thy money and no harm shall betide thee.'And she ceased not to persuade me till I put my head into the noose and consented. So I veiled my eyes and held up the edge of my veil between me and the streetthat the passers-by might not see me；and he put his mouth to my cheek under the veil. Butinstead of kissing mehe bit me so hard that he tore the flesh of my cheekand I swooned away. The old woman took me in her arms and when I came to myselfI found the shop shut up and her lamenting over me and saying'Thank God it was no worse！'Then she said to me'Come，take courage and let us go homelest the thing get wind and thou be disgraced. When thou returnestdo thou feign sickness and lie down and cover thyself upand I will bring thee a remedy that will soon heal the wound.'Soafter awhileI arosefull of fear and anxietyand went little by littletill I came to the housewhere I lay down and gave out that I was ill. When it was nightmy husband came in to me and said'O my ladywhat has befallen thee in this excursion？'Quoth I'I am not well： I have a pain in my head.'Then he lighted a candle and drew near and looked at me and said'What is that wound on thy cheekin the soft part？'Said I'When I went out to-day to buy stuffswith thy leavea camel laden with firewood jostled me and the end of one of the pieces of wood tore my veil and wounded my cheekas thou seest；for indeed the ways are strait in this city.'

'To-morrow，'rejoined he'I will go to the governor and speak to himthat he may hang every firewood-seller in the city.'God on thee，'cried I'do not burden thy conscience with such a sin against any one！The truth is that I was riding on an assand it stumbled and threw me downand my cheek fell on a piece of glasswhich wounded it.'Then，'said he'to morrow I will go to Jaafer the Barmecide and tell him the caseand he will kill every ass in the city.'Wilt thou ruin all the folk on my account，'said I'when this that befell me was decreed of God？'

'There is no help for it，'answered heand springing to his feetplied me with questions and pressed metill I was frightened and stammered in my speechso that he guessed how the case stood and exclaimed'Thou hast been false to thine oath！'

Then he gave a great crywhereupon a door opened and in came seven black slaveswhom he commanded to drag me from my bed and throw me down in the middle of the room. Moreoverhe made one take me by the shoulders and sit upon my head and another sit on my knees and hold my feet and giving a third a naked swordsaid to him'Strike herO Saadand cut her in twain and let each take half and throw it into the Tigris that the fish may eat herfor this is the reward of her who breaks her oath and is unfaithful to her love.'And he redoubled in wrath and repeated the following verses：

If any other share with me in her whom I adoreI'll root out passion from my heartthough longing me destroy；And I will say unto my soul'Death is the better part；'For love is naught that men with me in common do enjoy.

Then he said to the slave'Smite herO Saad！'Whereupon the latter bent down to me and said'O my ladyrepeat the profession of the faith and tell us if there be aught thou wouldst have donefor thy last hour is come.'O good slave，'said I'grant me a little respitethat I may give thee my last injunctions.'Then I raised my head and considered my case and how I had fallen from high estate into abjection；wherefore the tears streamed from my eyes and I wept passing sore. He looked at me with angry eyes and repeated the following Say unto her who wronged uson whom our kisses tireHer that hath chosen another for darling of desire，Lowe will spurn thee from usbefore thou cast us off！That which is past between us suffices to our ire.

When I heard thisI wept and looked at him and repeated the following verses：

You doom my banishment from love and all unmoved remain；You rob my wounded lids of rest and sleep whilst I complain.

You make mine eyes familiar with watching and unrest；Yet can my heart forget you notnor eyes from tears refrain.