ABU AL-HASAN OF KHORASAN.[FN#346]
The Caliph Al-Mu'tazid bi 'llah[FN#347] was a high-spirited
Prince and a noble-minded lord; he had in Baghdad six hundred
Wazirs and of the affairs of the folk naught was hidden from him.
He went forth one day, he and Ibn Hamdún,[FN#348] to divert
himself with observing his lieges and hearing the latest news of
the people; and, being overtaken with the heats of noonday, they
turned aside from the main thoroughfare into a little by-street,
at the upper end whereof they saw a handsome and high-builded
mansion, discoursing of its owner with the tongue of praise. They
sat down at the gate to take rest, and presently out came two
eunuchs as they were moons on their fourteenth night. Quoth one
of them to his fellow, "Would Heaven some guest would seek
admission this day! My master will not eat but with guests and we
are come to this hour and I have not yet seen a soul." The Caliph
marvelled at their speech and said, "This is a proof of the
house-master's liberality: there is no help but that we go in to
him and note his generosity, and this shall be a means of favour
betiding him from us." So he said to the eunuch, "Ask leave of
thy lord for the admission of a company[FN#349] of strangers."
For in those days it was the Caliph's wont, whenas he was minded
to observe his subjects, to disguise himself in merchant's garb.
The eunuch went in and told his master, who rejoiced and rising,
came out to them in person. He was fair of favour and fine of
form and he appeared clad in a tunic of Níshápúr[FN#350] silk and
a gold laced mantle; and he dripped with scented waters and wore
on his hand a signet ring of rubies. When he saw them, he said to
them, "Well come and welcome to the lords who favour us with the
utmost of favour by their coming!" So they entered the house and
found it such as would make a man forget family and fatherland
for it was like a piece of Paradise.--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the Caliph entered the mansion, he and the man with him, they saw
it to be such as would make one forget family and fatherland, for
it was like a piece of Paradise. Within it was a flower-garden,
full of all kinds of trees, confounding sight and its
dwelling-places were furnished with costly furniture. They sat
down and the Caliph fell to gazing at the house and the household
gear. (Quoth Ibn Hamdún), "I looked at the Caliph and saw his
countenance change, and being wont to know from his face whether
he was amused or anangered, said to myself, ‘I wonder what hath
vexed him.' Then they brought a golden basin and we washed our
hands, after which they spread a silken cloth and set thereon a
table of rattan. When the covers were taken off the dishes, we
saw therein meats rare as the blooms of Prime in the season of
their utmost scarcity, twofold and single, and the host said,
‘Bismillah, O my lords! By Allah, hunger pricketh me; so favour
me by eating of this food, as is the fashion of the noble.'
Thereupon he began tearing fowls apart and laying them before us,
laughing the while and repeating verses and telling stories and
talking gaily with pleasant sayings such as sorted with the
entertainment. We ate and drank, then removed to another room,
which confounded beholders with its beauty and which reeked with
exquisite perfumes. Here they brought us a tray of fruits
freshly-gathered and sweetmeats the finest flavoured, whereat our
joys increased and our cares ceased. But withal the Caliph"
(continued Ibn Hamdun) "ceased not to wear a frowning face and
smiled not at that which gladdened all souls, albeit it was his
wont to love mirth and merriment and the putting away of cares,
and I knew that he was no envious wight and oppressor. So I said
to myself, ‘Would Heaven I knew what is the cause of his
moroseness and why we cannot dissipate his ill-humour!' Presently
they brought the tray of wine which friends doth conjoin and
clarified draughts in flagons of gold and crystal and silver, and
the host smote with a rattan-wand on the door of an inner
chamber, whereupon behold, it opened and out came three damsels,
high-bosomed virginity with faces like the sun at the fourth hour
of the day, one a lutist, another a harpist and the third a
dancer-artiste. Then he set before us dried fruits and
confections and drew between us and the damsels a curtain of
brocade, with tassels of silk and rings of gold. The Caliph paid
no heed to all this, but said to the host, who knew not who was
in his company, ‘Art thou noble?'[FN#351] Said he, ‘No, my lord;
I am but a man of the sons of the merchants and am known among
the folk as Abú al-Hasan Ali, son of Ahmad of Khorasan.' Quoth
the Caliph, ‘Dost thou know me, O man?', and quoth he, ‘By Allah,
O my lord, I have no knowledge of either of your honours!' Then
said I to him, ‘O man, this is the Commander of the Faithful,
AI-Mu'tazid bi 'llah grandson of Al-Mutawakkil alà
'llah.'[FN#352] Whereupon he rose and kissed the ground before
the Caliph, trembling for fear of him, and said, ‘O Prince of
True Believers, I conjure thee, by the virtue of thy pious
forbears, an thou have seen in me any shortcomings or lack of
good manners in thy presence, do thou forgive me!' Replied the
Caliph, ‘As for that which thou hast done with us of honouring
and hospitality nothing could have exceeded it; and as for that
wherewith I have to reproach thee here, an thou tell me the truth
respecting it and it commend itself to my sense, thou shalt be
saved from me; but, an thou tell me not the truth, I will take
thee with manifest proof and punish thee with such punishment as
never yet punished any.' Quoth the man, ‘Allah forbid that I tell
thee a lie! But what is it that thou reproachest to me, O
Commander of the Faithful?' Quoth the Caliph, ‘Since I entered
thy mansion and looked upon its grandeur, I have noted the
furniture and vessels therein, nay, even to thy clothes, and
behold, on all of them is the name of my grandfather
Al-Mutawakkil ala 'llah.'[FN#353] Answered Abu al-Hasan, ‘Yes, O
Commander of the Faithful (the Almighty protect thee), truth is
thine inner garb and sincerity is thine outer garment and none
may speak otherwise than truly in thy presence.' The Caliph bade
him be seated and said, ‘Tell us.'" So he began, "Know, O
Commander of the Faithful, that my father belonged to the markets
of the money-changers and druggists and linendrapers and had in
each bazar a shop and an agent and all kinds of goods. Moreover,
behind the money-changer's shop he had an apartment, where he
might be private, appointing the shop for buying and selling. His
wealth was beyond count and to his riches there was none amount;
but he had no child other than myself, and he loved me and was
tenderly fain of me. When his last hour was at hand, he called me
to him and commended my mother to my care and charged me to fear
Almighty Allah. Then he died, may Allah have mercy upon him and
continue the Prince of True Believers on life! And I gave myself
up to pleasure and eating and drinking and took to myself
comrades and intimates. My mother used to forbid me from this and
to blame me for it, but I would not hear a word from her, till my
money was all gone, when I sold my lands and houses and naught
was left me save the mansion wherein I now dwell, and it was a
goodly stead, O Commander of the Faithful. So I said to my
mother, ‘I wish to sell the house;' but she said, ‘O my son, an
thou sell it, thou wilt be dishonoured and wilt have no place
wherein to take shelter.' Quoth I, ‘'Tis worth five thousand
dinars, and with one thousand of its price I will buy me another
house and trade with the rest.' Quoth she, ‘Wilt thou sell it to
me at that price?'; and I replied, ‘Yes.' Whereupon she went to a
coffer and opening it, took out a porcelain vessel, wherein were
five thousand dinars. When I saw this meseemed the house was all
of gold and she said to me, ‘O my son, think not that this is of
thy father's good. By Allah, O my son, it was of my own father's
money and I have treasured it up against a time of need; for, in
thy father's day I was a wealthy woman and had no need of it.' I
took the money from her, O Prince of True Believers, and fell
again to feasting and carousing and merrymaking with my friends,
unheeding my mother's words and admonitions, till the five
thousand dinars came to an end, when I said to her, ‘I wish to
sell the house.' Said she, ‘O my son, I forbade thee from selling
it before, of my knowledge that thou hadst need of it; so how
wilt thou sell it a second time?' Quoth I, ‘Be not longsome of
speech with me, for I must and will sell it;' and quoth she,
‘Then sell it to me for fifteen thousand dinars, on condition
that I take charge of thine affairs.' So I sold her the house at
that price and gave up my affairs into her charge, whereupon she
sought out the agents of my father and gave each of them a
thousand dinars, keeping the rest in her own hands and ordering
the outgo and the income. Moreover she gave me money to trade
withal and said to me, ‘Sit thou in thy father's shop.' So I did
her bidding, O Commander of the Faithful, and took up my abode in
the chamber behind the shop in the market of the money-changers,
and my friends came and bought of me and I sold to them; whereby
I made good cheape and my wealth increased. When my mother saw me
in this fair way, she discovered to me that which she had
treasured up of jewels and precious stones, pearls, and gold, and
I bought back my houses and lands that I had squandered and my
wealth became great as before. I abode thus for some time, and
the factors of my father came to me and I gave them
stock-in-trade, and I built me a second chamber behind the shop.
One day, as I sat there, according to my custom, O Prince of True
Believers, there came up to me a damsel, never saw eyes a fairer
than she of favour, and said, ‘Is this the private shop of Abu
al-Hasan Ali ibn Ahmad al-Khorasani?' Answered I, ‘Yes,' and she
asked, ‘Where is he?' ‘He am I,' said I, and indeed my wit was
dazed at the excess of her loveliness. She sat down and said to
me, ‘Bid thy page weigh me out three hundred dinars.' Accordingly
I bade him give her that sum and he weighed it out to her and she
took it and went away, leaving me stupefied. Quoth my man to me,
‘Dost thou know her?', and quoth I, ‘No, by Allah!' He asked,
‘Then why didst thou bid me give her the money?'; and I answered,
‘By Allah, I knew not what I said, of my amazement at her beauty
and loveliness!' Then he rose and followed her, without my
knowledge, but presently returned, weeping and with the mark of a
blow on his face. I enquired of him what ailed him, and he
replied, ‘I followed the damsel, to see whither she went; but,
when she was aware of me, she turned and dealt me this blow and
all but knocked out my eye.' After this, a month passed, without
her coming, O Commander of the Faithful, and I abode bewildered
for love of her; but, at the end of this time, she suddenly
appeared again and saluted me, whereat I was like to fly for joy.
She asked me how I did and said to me, ‘Haply thou saidst to
thyself, What manner of trickstress is this, who hath taken my
money and made off?' Answered I, ‘By Allah, O my lady, my money
and my life are all thy very own!' With this she unveiled herself
and sat down to rest, with the trinkets and ornaments playing
over her face and bosom. Presently, she said to me, ‘Weigh me out
three hundred dinars. ‘Hearkening and obedience,' answered I and
weighed out to her the money. She took it and went away and I
said to my servant, ‘Follow her.' So he followed her, but
returned dumbstruck, and some time passed without my seeing her.
But, as I was sitting one day, behold, she came up to me and
after talking awhile, said to me, ‘Weigh me out five hundred
dinars, for I have need of them.' I would have said to her, ‘Why
should I give thee my money?'; but my love immense hindered me
from utterance; for, O Prince of True Believers, whenever I saw
her, I trembled in every joint and my colour paled and I forgot
what I would have said and became even as saith the poet,
‘'Tis naught but this! When a-sudden I see her * Mumchance I bide
nor a word can say her.'
So I weighed out for her the five hundred ducats, and she took
them and went away; whereupon I arose and followed her myself,
till she came to the jewel-bazar, where she stopped at a man's
shop and took of him a necklace. Then she turned and seeing me,
said, ‘Pay him five hundred dinars for me.' When the jeweller saw
me, he rose to me and made much of me, and I said to him, ‘Give
her the necklace and set down the price to me.' He replied, ‘I
hear and obey,' and she took it and went away;"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu
Hasan the Khorasani thus pursued his tale, "So I said to the
jeweller, ‘Give her the necklace and set down the price to me.'
Then she took it and went away; but I followed her, till she came
to the Tigris and boarded a boat there, whereupon I signed with
my hand to the ground, as who should say, ‘I kiss it before
thee.' She went off laughing, and I stood watching her, till I
saw her land and enter a palace, which when I considered, I knew
it for the palace of the Caliph Al-Mutawakkil. So I turned back,
O Commander of the Faithful, with all the cares in the world
fallen on my heart, for she had of me three thousand dinars, and
I said to myself, ‘She hath taken my wealth and ravished my wit,
and peradventure I shall lose my life for her love.' Then I
returned home and told my mother all that had befallen me, and
she said, ‘O my son, beware how thou have to do with her after
this, or thou art lost.' When I went to my shop, my factor in the
drug-market, who was a very old man, came to me and said, ‘O my
lord, how is it that I see thee changed in case and showing marks
of chagrin? Tell me what aileth thee.' So I told him all that had
befallen me with her and he said, ‘O my son, this is indeed one
of the handmaidens of the palace of the Commander of the Faithful
and haply she is the Caliph's favourite concubine: so do thou
reckon the money as spent for the sake of Almighty Allah[FN#354]
and occupy thyself no more with her. An she come again, beware
lest she have to do with thee and tell me of this, that I may
devise thee some device lest perdition betide thee.' Then he
fared forth and left me with a flame of fire in my heart. At the
end of the month behold, she came again and I rejoiced in her
with exceeding joy. Quoth she, ‘What ailed thee to follow me?';
and quoth I, ‘Excess of passion that is in my heart urged me to
this,' and I wept before her. She wept for ruth of me and said,
‘By Allah, there is not in thy heart aught of love-longing but in
my heart is more! Yet how shall I do? By Allah, I have no
resource save to see thee thus once a month.' Then she gave me a
bill saying, ‘Carry this to such an one of such a trade who is my
agent and take of him what is named therein.' But I replied, ‘I
have no need of money; be my wealth and my life thy sacrifice!'
Quoth she, ‘I will right soon contrive thee a means of access to
me, whatever trouble it cost me.' Then she farewelled me and
fared forth, whilst I repaired to the old druggist and told him
what had passed. He went with me to the palace of Al-Mutawakkil
which I knew for that which the damsel had entered; but the
Shaykh was at a loss for a device. Presently he espied a tailor
sitting with his apprentices at work in his shop, opposite the
lattice giving upon the river bank and said to me, ‘Yonder is one
by whom thou shalt win thy wish; but first tear thy pocket and go
to him and bid him sew it up. When he hath done this, give him
ten dinars.' ‘I hear and obey,' answered I and taking with me two
pieces[FN#355] of Greek brocade, went to the tailor and bade him
make of them four suits, two with long-sleeved coats and two
without. When he had finished cutting them out and sewing them, I
gave him to his hire much more than of wont, and he put out his
hand to me with the clothes; but I said, ‘Take them for thyself
and for those who are with thee.' And I fell to sitting with him
and sitting long: I also bespoke of him other clothes and said to
him, ‘Hang them out in front of thy shop, so the folk may see
them and buy them.' He did as I bade him, and whoso came forth of
the Caliph's palace and aught of the clothes pleased him, I made
him a present thereof, even to the doorkeeper. One day of the
days the tailor said to me, ‘O my son, I would have thee tell me
the truth of thy case; for thou hast bespoken of me an hundred
costly suits, each worth a mint of money, and hast given the most
of them to the folk. This is no merchant's fashion, for a
merchant calleth an account for every dirham, and what can be the
sum of thy capital that thou givest these gifts and what thy gain
every year? Tell me the truth of thy case, that I may assist thee
to thy desire;' presently adding, ‘I conjure thee by Allah, tell
me, art thou not in love?' ‘Yes,' replied I; and he said, ‘With
whom?' Quoth I, ‘With one of the handmaids of the Caliph's
palace;' and quoth he, ‘Allah put them to shame! How long shall
they seduce the folk? Knowest thou her name?' Said I, ‘No;' and
said he, ‘Describe her to me.' So I described her to him and he
cried, ‘Out on it! This is the lutanist of the Caliph
Al-Mutawakkil and his pet concubine. But she hath a
Mameluke[FN#356] and do thou make friends with him; it may be he
shall become the means of thy having access to her.' Now as we
were talking, behold, out walked the servant in question from the
palace, as he were a moon on the fourteenth night; and, seeing
that I had before me the clothes which the tailor had made me,
and they were of brocade of all colours, he began to look at them
and examine them. Then he came up to me and I rose and saluted
him. He asked, ‘Who art thou?' and I answered, ‘I am a man of the
merchants.' Quoth he, ‘Wilt thou sell these clothes?'; and quoth
I, ‘Yes.' So he chose out five of them and said to me, ‘How much
these five?' Said I, ‘They are a present to thee from me in
earnest of friendship between me and thee.' At this he rejoiced
and I went home and fetching a suit embroidered with jewels and
jacinths, worth three thousand dinars, returned therewith and
gave it to him. He accepted it and carrying me into a room within
the palace, said to me, ‘What is thy name among the merchants?'
Said I, ‘I am a man of them.'[FN#357] He continued, ‘Verily I
misdoubt me of thine affair.' I asked, ‘Why so?' and he answered,
‘Because thou hast bestowed on me a costly gift and won my heart
therewith, and I make certain that thou art Abu alHasan of
Khorasan the Shroff.' With this I fell aweeping, O Prince of True
Believers; and he said to me, ‘Why dost thou weep? By Allah, she
for whom thou weepest is yet more longingly in love with thee
than thou with her! And indeed her case with thee is notorious
among all the palace women. But what wouldst thou have?' Quoth I,
‘I would have thee succour me in my calamity.' So he appointed me
for the morrow and I returned home. As soon as I rose next
morning, I betook myself to him and waited in his chamber till he
came in and said to me, ‘Know that yesternight when, after having
made an end of her service by the Caliph, she returned to her
apartment, I related to her all that had passed between me and
thee and she is minded to foregather with thee. So stay with me
till the end of the day.' Accordingly I stayed with him till
dark, when the Mameluke brought me a shirt of gold-inwoven stuff
and a suit of the Caliph's apparel and clothing me therein,
incensed me[FN#358] and I became like the Commander of the
Faithful. Then he brought me to a gallery with rows of rooms on
either side and said to me, ‘These are the lodgings of the Chief
of the slavegirls; and when thou passest along the gallery, do
thou lay at each door a bean, for 'tis the custom of the Caliph
to do this every night,'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixty-second Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Mameluke said to Abu Hasan, "When thou passest along the gallery
set down at each door a bean for 'tis the custom of the Caliph so
to do, till thou come to the second passage on thy right hand,
when thou wilt see a door with a marble threshold .[FN#359] Touch
it with thy hand or, an thou wilt, count the doors which are so
many, and enter the one whose marks are thus and thus. There thy
mistress will see thee and take thee in with her. As for thy
coming forth, verily Allah will make it easy to me, though I
carry thee out in a chest."--"Then he left me and returned,
whilst I went on, counting the doors and laying at each a bean.
When I had reached the middle of the gallery, I heard a great
clatter and saw the light of flambeaux coming towards me. As the
light drew near me, I looked at it and behold, the Caliph
himself, came surrounded by the slave-girls carrying waxen
lights, and I heard one of the women[FN#360] say to another, ‘O
my sister, have we two Caliphs? Verily, the Caliph whose perfumes
and essences I smelt, hath already passed by my room and he hath
laid the bean at my door, as his wont; and now I see the light of
his flambeaux, and here he cometh with them.' Replied the other,
‘Indeed this is a wondrous thing, for disguise himself in the
Caliph's habit none would dare.' Then the light drew near me,
whilst I trembled in every limb; and up came an eunuch, crying
out to the concubines and saying, ‘Hither!' Whereupon they turned
aside to one of the chambers and entered. Then they came out
again and walked on till they came to the chamber of my mistress
and I heard the Caliph say, ‘Whose chamber is this?' They
answered, ‘This is the chamber of Shajarat al-Durr.' And he said,
‘Call her.' So they called her and she came out and kissed the
feet of the Caliph, who said to her, ‘Wilt thou drink to-night?'
Quoth she, ‘But for thy presence and the looking on thine
auspicious countenance, I would not drink, for I incline not to
wine this night.' Then quoth the Commander of the Faithful to the
eunuch, ‘Bid the treasurer give her such necklace;' and he
commanded to enter her chamber. So the waxen lights entered
before him and he followed them into the apartment. At the same
moment, behold, there came up a damsel, the lustre of whose face
outshone that of the flambeau in her hand, and drawing near she
said, ‘Who is this?' Then she laid hold of me and carrying me
into one of the chambers, said to me, ‘Who art thou?' I kissed
the ground before her saying, ‘I implore thee by Allah, O my
lady, spare my blood and have ruth on me and commend thyself unto
Allah by saving my life!'; and I wept for fear of death. Quoth
she, ‘Doubtless, thou art a robber;' and quoth I, ‘No, by Allah,
I am no robber. Seest thou on me the signs of thieves?' Said she,
‘Tell me the truth of thy case and I will put thee in safety.' So
I said, ‘I am a silly lover and an ignorant, whom passion and my
folly have moved to do as thou seest, so that I am fallen into
this slough of despond.' Thereat cried she, ‘Abide here till I
come back to thee;' and going forth she presently returned with
some of her handmaid's clothes wherein she clad me and bade me
follow her; so I followed her till she came to her apartment and
commanded me to enter. I went in and she led me to a couch,
whereon was a mighty fine carpet, and said, ‘Sit down here: no
harm shall befal thee. Art thou not Abu al-Hasan Ali the
Khorasani, the Shroff?' I answered, ‘Yes,' and she rejoined,
‘Allah spare thy blood given thou speak truth! An thou be a
robber, thou art lost, more by token that thou art dressed in the
Caliph's habit and incensed with his scents. But, an thou be
indeed Abu al-Hasan, thou art safe and no hurt shall happen to
thee, for that thou art the friend of Shajarat al-Durr, who is my
sister and ceaseth never to name thee and tell us how she took of
thee money, yet wast thou not chagrined, and how thou didst
follow her to the river bank and madest sign as thou wouldst kiss
the earth in her honour; and her heart is yet more aflame for
thee than is thine for her. But how camest thou hither? Was it by
her order or without it? She hath indeed imperilled thy
life[FN#361]. But what seekest thou in this assignation with
her?' I replied, ‘By Allah, O my lady, 'tis I who have imperilled
my own life, and my aim in foregathering with her is but to look
on her and hear her pretty speech.' She said, ‘Thou hast spoken
well;' and I added, ‘O my lady, Allah is my witness when I
declare that my soul prompteth me to no offence against her
honour.' Cried she, ‘In this intent may Allah deliver thee!
Indeed compassion for thee hath gotten hold upon my heart.' Then
she called her handmaid and said to her, ‘Go to Shajarat al-Durr
and say to her, ‘Thy sister saluteth thee and biddeth thee to
her; so favour her by coming to her this night, according to thy
custom, for her breast is straitened.' The slave-girl went out
and presently returning, told her mistress that Shajarat al-Durr
said, ‘May Allah bless me with thy long life and make me thy
ransom! By Allah, hadst thou bidden me to other than this, I had
not hesitated; but the Caliph's migraine constraineth me and thou
knowest my rank with him.' But the other said to her damsel,
‘Return to her and say, ‘Needs must thou come to my mistress upon
a private matter between thee and her!' So the girl went out
again and presently returned with the damsel, whose face shone
like the full moon. Her sister met her and embraced her; then
said she, ‘Ho, Abu al-Hasan, come forth to her and kiss her
hands!' Now I was in a closet within the apartment; so I walked
out, O Commander of the Faithful, and when my mistress saw me,
she threw herself upon me and strained me to her bosom saying,
‘How camest thou in the Caliph's clothes and his ornaments and
perfumes? Tell me what hath befallen thee.' So I related to her
all that had befallen me and what I had suffered for affright and
so forth; and she said, ‘Grievous to me is what thou hast endured
for my sake and praised be Allah who hath caused the issue to be
safety, and the fulfilment of safety is in thy entering my
lodging and that of my sister.' Then she carried me to her own
apartment, saying to her sister, ‘I have covenanted with him that
I will not be united to him unlawfully; but, as he hath risked
himself and incurred these perils, I will be earth for his
treading and dust to his sandals!'"--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the
damsel to her sister, "I have covenanted with him that I will not
be united to him unlawfully; but, as he hath risked himself and
incurred these perils, I will be earth for his treading and dust
to his sandals!" Replied her sister, "In this intent may Allah
deliver him!"--"and my mistress rejoined, ‘Soon shalt thou see
how I will do, so I may lawfully foregather with him and there is
no help but that I lavish my heart's blood to devise this.' Now
as we were in talk, behold, we heard a great noise and turning,
saw the Caliph making for her chamber, so engrossed was he by the
thought of her; whereupon she took me, O Prince of True Believers
and hid me in a souterrain[FN#362] and shut down the trap-door
upon me. Then she went out to meet the Caliph, who entered and
sat down, whilst she stood between his hands to serve him, and
commanded to bring wine. Now the Caliph loved a damsel by name
Banjah, who was the mother of Al-Mu'tazz bi 'llah[FN#363]; but
they had fallen out and parted; and in the pride of her beauty
and loveliness she would not make peace with him, nor would
Al-Mutawakkil, for the dignity of the Caliphate and the kingship,
make peace with her neither humble himself to her, albeit his
heart was aflame with passion for her, but sought to solace his
mind from her with her mates among the slave-girls and with going
in to them in their chambers. Now he loved Shajarat al-Durr's
singing: so he bade her sing, when she took the lute and tuning
the strings sang these verses,
‘The world-tricks I admire betwixt me and her; * How, us parted,
the World would to me incline:
I shunned thee till said they, ‘He knows not Love;' * I sought
thee till said they, ‘No patience is mine!'
Then, O Love of her, add to my longing each night, * And, O
Solace, thy comforts for Doomsday assign!
Soft as silk is her touch and her low sweet voice * Twixt o'er
much and o'er little aye draweth the line:
And eyne whereof Allah said ‘Be ye!' and they * Became to man's
wit like the working of wine.'
When the Caliph heard these verses, he was pleasured with
exceeding pleasure, and I also, O Commander of the Faithful, was
pleasured in my hiding-place, and but for the bounty of Almighty
Allah, I had cried out and we had been disgraced. Then she sang
also these couplets,
‘I embrace him, yet after him yearns my soul * For his love, but
can aught than embrace be nigher?
I kiss his lips to assuage my lowe; * But each kiss gars it glow
with more flaming fire;
‘Tis as though my vitals aye thirst unquencht * Till I see two
souls mixt in one entire.'
The Caliph was delighted and said, ‘O Shajarat al-Durr, ask a
boon of me.' She replied, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I ask of
thee my freedom, for the sake of the reward thou wilt obtain
therein.'[FN#364] Quoth he, ‘Thou art free for the love of
Allah;' whereupon she kissed ground before him. He resumed, ‘Take
the lute and sing me somewhat on the subject of my slave-girl, of
whom I am enamoured with warmest love: the folk seek my pleasure
and I seek hers.' So she took the lute and sang these two
couplets,
‘My charmer who spellest my piety[FN#365] * On all accounts I'll
have thee, have thee,
Or by humble suit which besitteth Love * Or by force more fitting
my sovranty.'
The Caliph admired these verses and said, ‘Now, take up thy lute
and sing me a song setting out my case with three damsels who
hold the reins of my heart and make rest depart; and they are
thyself and that wilful one and another I will not name, who hath
not her like.'[FN#366] So she took the lute and playing a lively
measure, sang these couplets,
‘Three lovely girls hold my bridle-rein * And in highest stead my
heart overreign.
I have none to obey amid all mankind * But obeying them I but win
disdain:
This is done through the Kingship of Love, whereby * The best of
my kingship they made their gain.'
The Caliph marvelled with exceeding marvel at the aptness of
these verses to his case and his delight inclined him to
reconciliation with the recalcitrant damsel. So he went forth and
made for her chamber whither a slave-girl preceded him and
announced to her the coming of the Caliph. She advanced to meet
him and kissed the ground before him; then she kissed his feet
and he was reconciled to her and she was reconciled to him. Such
was the case with the Caliph; but as regards Shajarat al-Durr,
she came to me rejoicing and said, ‘I am become a free woman by
thy blessed coming! Surely Allah will help me in that which I
shall contrive, so I may foregather with thee in lawful way.' And
I said, ‘Alhamdolillah!' Now as we were talking, behold her
Mameluke-eunuch entered and we related to him that which had
passed, when he said, ‘Praised be Allah who hath made the affair
to end well, and we implore the Almighty to crown His favours
with thy safe faring forth the palace!' Presently appeared my
mistress's sister, whose name was Fátir, and Shajarat al-Durr
said to her, ‘O my sister, how shall we do to bring him out of
the palace in safety; for indeed Allah hath vouchsafed me
manumission and, by the blessing of his coming, I am become a
free woman.' Quoth Fatir, ‘I see nothing for it but to dress him
in woman's gear.' So she brought me a suit of women's clothes and
clad me therein; and I went out forthwith, O Commander of the
Faithful; but, when I came to the midst of the palace, behold, I
found the Caliph seated there, with the eunuchs in attendance
upon him. When he saw me, he misdoubted of me with exceeding
doubt, and said to his suite, ‘Hasten and bring me yonder
handmaiden who is faring forth.' So they brought me back to him
and raised the veil from my face, which when he saw, he knew me
and questioned me of my case. I told him the whole truth, hiding
naught, and when he heard my story, he pondered my case awhile,
without stay or delay, and going into Shajarat al-Durr's chamber,
said to her, ‘How couldst thou prefer before me one of the sons
of the merchants?' She kissed ground between his hands and told
him her tale from first to last, in accordance with the truth;
and he hearing it had compassion upon her and his heart relented
to her and he excused her by reason of love and its
circumstances. Then he went away and her eunuch came in to her
and said, ‘Be of good cheer; for, when thy lover was set before
the Caliph, he questioned him and he told him that which thou
toldest him, word by word.' Presently the Caliph returned and
calling me before him, said to me, ‘What made thee dare to
violate the palace of the Caliphate?' I replied, ‘O Commander of
the Faithful, 'twas my ignorance and passion and my confidence in
thy clemency and generosity that drave me to this.' And I wept
and kissed the ground before him. Then said he, ‘I pardon you
both,' and bade me be seated. So I sat down and he sent for the
Kazi Ahmad ibn Abi Duwád[FN#367] and married me to her. Then he
commanded to make over all that was hers to me and they displayed
her to me[FN#368] in her lodging. After three days, I went forth
and transported all her goods and gear to my own house; so every
thing thou hast seen, O Commander of the Faithful, in my house
and whereof thou misdoubtest, is of her marriage-equipage. After
this, she said to me one day, ‘Know that Al-Mutawakkil is a
generous man and I fear lest he remember us with ill mind, or
that some one of the envious remind him of us; wherefore I
purpose to do somewhat that may ensure us against this.' Quoth I,
‘And what is that?;' and quoth she, ‘I mean to ask his leave to
go the pilgrimage and repent[FN#369] of singing.' I replied,
‘Right is this rede thou redest;' but, as we were talking,
behold, in came a messenger from the Caliph to seek her, for that
Al-Mutawakkil loved her singing. So she went with the officer and
did her service to the Caliph, who said to her, ‘Sever not
thyself from us;'[FN#370] and she answered ‘I hear and I obey.'
Now it chanced one day, after this, she went to him, he having
sent for her, as was his wont; but, before I knew, she came back,
with her raiment rent and her eyes full of tears. At this I was
alarmed, misdoubting me that he had commanded to seize upon us,
and said, ‘Verily we are Allah's and unto Him shall we return! Is
Al-Mutawakkil wroth with us?' She replied, ‘Where is
Al-Mutawakkil? Indeed Al-Mutawakkil's rule is ended and his trace
is blotted out!' Cried I, ‘Tell me what has happened:' and she,
‘He was seated behind the curtain, drinking, with Al-Fath bin
Khákán[FN#371] and Sadakah bin Sadakah, when his son Al-Muntasir
fell upon him, with a company of the Turks,[FN#372] and slew him;
and merriment was turned to misery and joy to weeping and wailing
for annoy. So I fled, I and the slave-girl, and Allah saved us.'
When I heard this, O Commander of the Faithful, I arose
forthright and went down stream to Bassorah, where the news
reached me of the falling out of war between Al-Muntasir and
Al-Musta'ín bi 'llah;[FN#373] wherefore I was affrighted and
transported my wife and all my wealth to Bassorah. This, then, is
my tale, O Prince of True Believers, nor have I added to or taken
from it a single syllable. So all that thou seest in my house,
bearing the name of thy grandfather Al-Mutawakkil, is of his
bounty to us, and the fount of our fortune is from thy noble
sources;[FN#374] for indeed ye are people of munificence and a
mine of beneficence." The Caliph marvelled at his story and
rejoiced therein with joy exceeding: and Abu al-Hasan brought
forth to him the lady and the children she had borne him, and
they kissed ground before the Caliph, who wondered at their
beauty. Then he called for inkcase and paper and wrote Abu
al-Hasan a patent of exemption from taxes on his lands and houses
for twenty years. Moreover, he rejoiced in him and made him his
cup-companion, till the world parted them and they took up their
abode in the tombs, after having dwelt under the palace-domes;
and glory be to Allah, the King Merciful of doom. And they also
tell a tale concerning
