第65章 NOUREDDIN ALI OF CAIRO AND HIS SON BEDREDDIN HASSA

Thirdlypreserve silence and let thy faults distract thee from those of other men；for it is said that in silence is safety；and thereon I have heard the following verses：

Silence is fair and safety lies in taciturnity. Sowhen thou speak'stI counsel theegive not thy tongue the rein.

Sincefor one time that thou repent the having held thy tongue，Thou shalt of having spoke repent again and yet again.

FourthlyO my sonbeware of drinking winefor wine is the root of all evils and the thief of wit. Guard thyself from itfor the poet says：

Wine and the drinkers of wine I have put awayAnd am become of those that of it mis-say.

For wine indeed diverts from the road of rightAnd to all kinds of evil opens the way.

LastlyO my sonkeep thy wealththat it may keep theeand watch over itthat it may watch over thee. Squander not thy substanceor thou wilt come to need the meanest of folk. Guard well thy moneyfor it is a sovereign salve for the wounds of lifeeven as says the poet：

If wealth should failthere is no friend will bear thee company，But whilst thy substance still aboundsall men are friends to thee.

How many a foe for money's sake hath companied with me！But when wealth failed beneath my handmy dearest friend did flee.'

And Noureddin ceased not to exhort his son till his spirit departed and his house became the abode of mourning. The King and all the Amirs grieved for him and buried him；but Bedreddin ceased not to bewail his father for two whole monthsduring which time he never left the housenor did he attend the Divan or present himself before the Sultan. At last the latter became wroth with him and made one of his chamberlains Vizier in his stead and bade him seize on all Noureddin's houses and goods and possessions and seal them up. So the new Vizier went forth to do this and take Bedreddin Hassan and bring him before the Sultan，that he might deal with him as he thought fit. Now there was among the troops one who had been a servant of the deceased Vizierand when he heard this order he spurred his steed and rode at full speed to Bedreddin's housewhere he found him sitting at the gatewith downcast headbroken-hearted. So he dismounted and kissing his handsaid to him'O my lord and son of my lordhastenere destruction light on thee！'When Bedreddin heard thishe trembled and said'What is the matter？'

'The Sultan is wroth with thee，'answered the other'and has given orders for thine arrestand calamity follows hard upon me，so flee for thy life.'Quoth Bedreddin'Is there time for me to go in and take somewhat to stand me in stead in my strangerhood？'

But the other answered'O my lordrise at once and save thyself whilst it is yet timeand leave thy house.'So Bedreddin covered his face with his skirt and went out and walked on till he came without the city. On his wayhe heard the people saying that the Sultan had sent the new Vizier to the late Vizier's houseto seize on his possessions and take his son Bedreddin Hassan and bring him before himthat he might put him to deathand they grieved for him by reason of his beauty and grace. When he heard thishe fled forth at hazardnot knowing whitherand chance led him to the cemetery where his father was buried. So he passed among the tombstill he came to his father's sepulchre and enteringsat down and let fall from over his head the skirt of his cassockwhich was made of brocadewith the following lines embroidered in gold on the hem：

Thou whose face with the rainbow might vieThat art bright as the stars of the sky，May thy fortune ne'er fail to be fair And thy glory for ever be high！

As he sat by his father's tombthere came up a Jewas he were a money-changerwith a pair of saddle-bags full of goldand accosted himsaying'Whither awayO my lord？ It is near the end of the day and thou art lightly clad and bearest the marks of chagrin on thy countenance.'I was asleep but now，'answered Bedreddin'when my father appeared to me and reproached me for not having visited his tomband I awoketremblingand came hither at oncefearing lest the day should passwithout my paying him a visitwhich would have been grievous to me.'O my lord，'said the Jew'thy father had many ships at seawhereof some are now due；and it is my wish to buy of thee the cargo of the first that comes into port for a thousand dinars.'I will well，'answered Bedreddin；whereupon the Jew took out a purse of gold and counted out a thousand dinarswhich he gave to Bedreddinsaying'Write me an acknowledgment and seal it.'So Bedreddin took pen and paper and wrote the following in double：

'The writerBedreddin Hassanson of the Vizier Noureddin of Bassorahas sold to Isaac the Jew all the cargo of the first of his father's ships that comes into portat the price of a thousand dinarswhich he has received in advance.'Then he gave one copy to the Jewwho took it and went awayand put the other in the pursewhich he thrust into his waistcloth. And he bethought him of his former estate of honour and consideration and wept and repeated the following verses：

Home is no longer home to menow ye are gone awayNor are the neighbours neighbours nowafter our parting-day，The comradewhom I loved whilereno more a comrade isAnd even the very sun and moon'no longer bright are they.

Ye went away and all the world was saddened for your lossAnd all the hills and plains grew dark with sorrow and dismay.

O that the raven of ill-luckthat croaked our parting hourMay lose his plumes nor find a nest in which his bead to lay！

My patience fails me for desiremy body wasteth sore；How many a veil the hands of death and parting rend in tway！

I wonderwill our happy nights come ever back againOr one house hold us two once moreafter the olden way！