书城公版Volume Seven
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第24章

Now it chanced one holiday,that Kuzia Fakan fared forth to make festival with certain kindred of the court,and she went surrounded by her handmaids.And indeed beauty encompassed her,the roses of her cheeks dealt envy to their mole;from out her smiling lips levee flashed white,gleaming like the chamomile[68];and Kanmakan began to turn about her and devour her with his sight,for she was the moon of resplendent light.

Then he took heart and giving his tongue a start began to improvise,'When shall the disappointed heart be healed of severance,And lips of Union smile at ceasing of our hard mischance?

Would Heaven I knew shall come some night,and with it surely bring Meeting with friend who like myself endureth sufferance.'[69]

When Kuzia Fakan heard these couplets,she showed vexation and disapproval and,putting on a haughty and angry air,said to him,'Dost thou name me in thy verse,to shame me amongst folk?By Allah,if thou turn not from this talk,I will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand Chamberlain,Sultan of Khorasan and Baghdad and lord of justice and equity;that disgrace and punishment may befal thee!'Kanmakan made no reply for anger but he returned to Baghdad;and Kuzia Fakan also returned to her palace and complained of her cousin to her mother,who said to her,'O my daughter,haply he meant thee no harm,and is he aught but an orphan?Withal,he said nought of reproach to thee;so beware thou tell none of this,lest perchance it come to e Sultan's ears and he cut short his life and blot out his name and make it even as yesterday,whose memory hath passed away.'However,Kanmakan's love for Kuzia Fakan spread abroad in Baghdad,so that the women talked of it.Moreover,his breast became straitened and his patience waned and he knew not what to do,yet he could not hide his condition from the world.Then longed he to give vent to the pangs he endured,by reason of the lowe of separation;but he feared her rebuke and her wrath;so he began improvising,'Now is my dread to incur reproaches,which

Disturb her temper and her mind obscure,Patient I'll bear them;e'en as generous youth his case to cure.'' Beareth the burn of brand his case to cure.'[70]

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Thirtyninth Night,She said,It hath reached me,O auspicious King,that when the Grand Chamberlain became Sultan they named him King Sasan;and after he had assumed the throne he governed the people in righteous way.Now as he was giving audience one day,Kanmakan's verses came to his knowledge.Thereupon he repented him of the past and going in to his wife Nuzhat alZaman,said to her,'Verily,to join Halfah grass and fire,[71] is the greatest of risks,and man may not be trusted with woman,so long as eye glanceth and eyelid quivereth.Now thy brother's son,Kanmakan,is come to man's estate and it behoveth us to forbid him access to the rooms where anklets trinkle,and it is yet more needful to forbid thy daughter the company of men,for the like of her should be kept in the Harim.'Replied she,'Thou sayest sooth,O

wise King!'Next day came Kanmakan according to his wont;and,going in to his aunt saluted her.She returned his salutation and said to him,'O my son! I have some what to say to thee which I would fain leave unsaid;yet I must tell it thee despite my inclination.'Quoth he,'Speak;'and quoth she,Know then that thy sire the Chamberlain,the father of Kuzia Fakan,hath heard of the verses thou madest anent her,and hath ordered that she be kept in the Harim and out of thy reach;if therefore,O my son,thou want anything from us,I will send it to thee from behind the door;and thou shalt not look upon Kuzia Fakan nor shalt thou return hither from this day forth.'When he heard this he arose and withdrew with out speaking a single word;and,betaking himself to his mother related what his aunt had said.She observed,'This all cometh of thine overtalking.Thou knowest that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fakan is noised abroad and the tattle hath spread everywhere how thou eatest their food and thereafter thou courtest their daughter.'Rejoined he,'And who should have her but I?She is the daughter of my father's brother and I have the best of rights to her.'Retorted his mother,'These are idle words.Be silent,lest haply thy talk come to King Sasan's ears and it prove the cause of thy losing her and the reason of thy ruin and increase of thine affliction.

They have not sent us any supper tonight and we shall die an hungered;and were we in any land but this,we were already dead of famine or of shame for begging our bread.'When Kanmakan heard these words from his mother,his regrets redoubled;his eyes ran over with tears and he complained and began improvising,'Minish this blame I ever bear from you:

My heart loves her to whom all love is due:

Ask not from me of patience jot or little,

Divorce of Patience by God's House! I rue:

What blamers preach of patience I unheed;

Here am I,love path firmly to pursue!

Indeed they bar me access to my love,

Here am I by God's ruth no ill I sue!

Good sooth my bones,whenas they hear thy name,

Quail as birds quailed when Nisus o'er them flew:[72]

Ah! say to them who blame my love that I

Will love that face fair cousin till I die.'