一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)- 第48部分

Shimas　prostrated　himself　to　God　and　called　down　blessings　on　the　king　and　kissed　his　hand；　rejoicing。　Then　he　went　forth　to　the　folk　and　told　them　what　he　had　heard　from　the　king　and　forbade　them　from　that　which　they　had　a　mind　to　do；　acquainting　them　with　the　king's　excuse　for　his　absence　and　that　he　had　promised　to　e　forth　to　them　on　the　morrow　and　deal　with　them　according　to　their　wishes；　whereupon　they　dispersed　and　returned　to　their　houses。

Meanwhile　the　king　sent　for　ten　slaves　of　gigantic　stature；　men　of　stout　heart　and　great　prowess；　whom　he　had　chosen　from　amongst　his　father's　bodyguards；　and　said　to　them；　'Ye　know　the　favour　and　esteem　in　which　my　father　held　you　and　all　the　bounties　and　honours　he　bestowed　on　you；　and　I　will　advance　you　to　yet　higher　rank　with　me　than　this。　Now　I　will　tell　you　the　reason　thereof　and　ye　are　under　God's　safeguard　from　me。　But　＇first＇　I　will　ask　you　of　somewhat　wherein　if　ye　do　my　bidding；　obeying　me　in　that　which　I　shall　mand　you　and　keeping　my　secret　from　all　men；　ye　shall　have　of　me　largesse　and　favour　overplaying　your　desire。'

The　slaves　answered　him　with　one　voice；　saying；　'All　that　thou　biddest　us；　O　our　lord；　will　we　do；　nor　will　we　anywise　depart　from　thy　mandment；　for　thou　art　our　lord　and　master。'　'God　be　good　to　you！'　said　the　king。　'Now　will　I　tell　you　why　I　have　chosen　you　out　for　increase　of　honour　with　me。　Ye　know　how　generously　my　father　dealt　with　the　people　of　his　dominions　and　the　oath　he　took　from　them　on　my　behalf　and　how　they　promised　him　that　they　would　not　break　faith　with　me　nor　gainsay　my　mandment；　and　ye　saw　how　they　did　yesterday；　whenas　they　came　all　together　about　me　and　would　have　slain　me。　Now　I　am　minded　to　do　with　them　somewhat；　to　wit；　I　have　considered　their　fashion　of　yesterday　and　see　that　nought　but　exemplary　chastisement　will　restrain　them　from　the　like　of　this；　wherefore　I　charge　you　privily　to　put　to　death　whom　I　shall　point　out　to　you；　to　the　intent　that；　by　slaying　their　leaders　and　chiefs；　I　may　ward　off　evil　and　calamity　from　my　realm；　and　the　manner　thereof　shall　be　on　this　wise。　Tomorrow　I　will　sit　in　this　chair　in　this　chamber　and　give　them　leave　to　enter；　one　by　one；　ing　in　at　one　door　and　going　out　at　another；　and　do　ye　stand；　all　ten；　before　me　and　be　attentive　to　my　signs；　and　whoso　enters　singly；　take　him　and　drag　him　into　yonder　chamber　and　slay　him　and　hide　his　body。'　The　slaves　answered；　'We　hearken　to　thy　word　and　obey　thy　mandment。'　Whereupon　he　gave　them　largesse　and　dismissed　them。

On　the　morrow　he　summoned　the　slaves　and　bade　set　up　the　throne。　Then　he　donned　his　royal　robes　and　taking　the　book　of　the　law　（182）　in　his　hands；　posted　the　ten　slaves　before　him　and　manded　to　open　the　doors。　So　they　opened　the　doors　and　the　herald　proclaimed　aloud；　saying；　'Whoso　hath　authority；　let　him　e　to　the　king's　carpet！'　（183）　Whereupon　up　came　the　viziers　and　prefects　and　chamberlains　and　stood；　each　in　his　rank。　Then　the　king　bade　admit　them；　one　by　one；　and　the　first　to　enter　was　Shimas；　after　the　wont　of　the　chief　vizier；　but　no　sooner　had　he　presented　himself　before　the　king　than　the　ten　slaves　set　upon　him；　ere　he　could　be　ware；　and　dragging　him　into　the　adjoining　chamber；　despatched　him。　On　like　wise　did　they　with　the　rest　of　the　viziers　and　doctors　and　notables；　slaying　them；　one　after　another；　till　they　made　an　end　of　them　all。　Then　the　king　called　the　headsmen　and　bade　them　put　to　the　sword　all　who　remained　of　the　folk　of　valour　and　prowess。　So　they　fell　on　them　and　left　none　whom　they　knew　for　a　man　of　mettle　but　they　slew　him；　sparing　only　the　dregs　and　refuse　of　the　people。　These　latter　they　drove　away　and　they　returned　each　to　his　folk；　whilst　the　king　secluded　himself　with　his　pleasures　and　surrendered　his　soul　to　its　lusts；　ensuing　tyranny　and　oppression　and　unright；　till　he　outwent　all　the　men　of　evil　who　had　foregone　him。

Now　this　king's　realm　was　a　mine　of　gold　and　silver　and　jacinths　and　jewels　and　the　neighbouring　kings　envied　him　this　empire　and　looked　for　calamity　to　betide　him。　Moreover；　one　of　them　＇to　wit；　the　King　of　Farther　India＇　said　in　himself；　'Now　have　I　gotten　my　desire　of　wresting　the　realm　from　the　hand　of　yonder　crackbrained　boy；　by　reason　of　that　which　hath　betided　of　his　slaughter　of　the　chiefs　of　his　state　and　of　all　the　men　of　valour　and　mettle　that　were　in　his　dominions。　Now　is　my　occasion　to　snatch　away　that　which　is　in　his　hand；　seeing　he　hath　no　knowledge　of　war　nor　judgment　thereto；　nor　is　there　any　left　to　counsel　him　aright　or　succour　him。　Wherefore　this　very　day　will　I　open　on　him　the　door　of　mischief　by　writing　him　a　letter　wherein　I　will　flout　him　and　reproach　him　with　that　which　he　hath　done　and　see　what　he　will　answer。'

So　he　wrote　him　a　letter　to　the　following　effect：　'In　the　name　of　God　the　passionate；　the　Merciful！　I　have　heard　tell　of　that　which　thou　hast　done　with　thy　viziers　and　doctors　and　men　of　war　and　that　whereinto　thou　hast　cast　thyself　of　calamity；　so　that　there　is　neither　power　nor　strength　left　in　thee　to　repel　whoso　shall　assail　thee；　more　by　token　that　thou　transgressest　and　orderest　thyself　tyrannously　and　profligately。　Now　God　hath　given　me　the　mastery　over　thee　and　hath　delivered　thee　into　my　hand；　wherefore　do　thou　give　ear　to　my　word　and　obey　my　mandment　and　build　me　an　impregnable　castle　amiddleward　the　sea。　If　thou　canst　not　do　this；　depart　thy　realm　and　begone　with　thy　life；　for　I　will　send　unto　thee；　from　the　farthest　parts　of　Hind；　twelve　squadrons　of　horse；　each　twelve　thousand　fightingmen　strong；　who　shall　enter　thy　land　and　spoil　thy　goods　and　slay　thy　men　and　take　thy　women　prisoners。　Moreover；　I　will　make　my　Vizier　Bediya　captain　over　them　and　bid　him　lay　strait　siege　＇to　thy　capital　city＇　till　he　master　it；　and　I　have　manded　the　bearer　of　this　letter　that　he　tarry　with　thee　but　three　days。　So；　if　thou　do　my　bidding；　thou　shalt　be　saved；　else　will　I　send　unto　thee　that　which　I　have　said。'

Then　he　sealed　the　letter　and　gave　it　to　a　messenger；　who　journeyed　with　it　till　he　came　to　Wird　Khan's　capital　and　delivered　it　to　him。　When　the　young　king　read　it；　his　heart　sank　within　him　and　his　breast　was　straitened　and　he　made　sure　of　destruction；　having　none　to　whom　he　might　resort　for　counsel　or　succour。　So　he　rose　and　went　in　to　his　favourite；　who；　seeing　him　changed　of　colour；　said　to　him；　'What　ails　thee；　O　king？'　Quoth　he；　'Today　I　am　no　king；　but　slave　to　the　king。'　And　he　opened　the　letter　and　read　it　to　her；　whereupon　she　fell　to　weeping　and　lamenting　and　tearing　her　clothes。　Then　said　he　to　her；　'Hast　thou　aught　of　counsel　or　resource　in　this　grievous　state？'　But　she　answered；　'Women　have　no　resource　in　time　of　war；　nor　have　they　strength　or　judgment。　It　is　men　alone　who　have　strength　and　judgment　and　resource　in　the　like　of　this　affair。''

When　the　king　heard　this；　there　befell　him　the　utmost　grief　and　repentance　and　remorse　for　that　wherein　he　had　transgressed　against　his　viziers　and　officers　and　the　nobles　of　his　people　and　the　chiefs　of　his　state；　and　he　would　that　he　had　died　ere　there　came　to　him　the　like　of　this　shameful　news。　Then　he　said　to　his　women；　'Verily；　there　hath　betided　me　from　you　that　which　befell　the　heathcock　with　the　tortoises。'　'What　was　that？'　asked　they；　and　he　answered；　'It　is　said　that

　The　Heathcock　and　the　Tortoises。

A　number　of　tortoises　dwelt　once　in　a　certain　island；　abounding　in　trees　and　fruits　and　streams；　and　it　chanced；　one　day；　that　a　heathcock　passing　over　the　island；　was　overe　with　heat　and　weariness　and　stayed　his　flight　there。　Presently；　looking　about　for　a　cool　place；　he　espied　the　resort　of　the　tortoises　and　lighted　down　therein。　Now　they　were　then　abroad　in　quest　of　food　and　when　they　returned　from　their　feedingplaces　to　their　dwelling；　they　found　the　heathcock　there。　His　beauty　pleased　them　and　God　made　him　fair　in　their　eyes；　so　that　they　extolled　their　Creator　and　loved　the　heathcock　with　an　exceeding　love　and　rejoiced　in　him；　saying　one　to　another；　〃Assuredly　this　is　of　the　goodliest　of　the　birds。〃　And　they　began　to　caress　him　and　entreat　him　with　kindness。　When　he　saw　that　they　looked　on　him　with　eyes　of　affection；　he　inclined　to　them　and　made　friends　with　them　and　took　up　his　abode　with　them；　Eying　away　in　the　morning　whither　he　would　and　returning　at　eventide　to　pass　the　night　with　them。

After　awhile；　the　tortoises；　seeing　that　his　＇daylong＇　absence　from　them　desolated　them　and　finding　that　they　saw　him　not　but　by　night；　（for　at　break　of　day　he　still　took　flight　in　haste　and　they　knew　not　what　came　of　him；　for　all　their　love　to　him；）　said　to　each　other；　〃Indeed；　we　love　this　heathcock　and　he　is　bee　our　friend　and　we　cannot　brook　parting　from　him；　so　how　shall　we　do　to　make　him　abide　with　us　always？　For　he　flies　away　at　daybreak　and　is　absent　from　us　all　day　and　we　see　him　not　save　by　night。〃　Quoth　one　of　them；　〃Be　easy；　O　my　sisters。　I　will　bring　him　not　to　leave　us　for　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。〃　And　the　rest　answered；　saying；　〃An　thou　do　this；　we　will　all　be　thy　slaves。〃

So；　when　the　heathcock　came　back　from　his　feedingplace　and　sat　down　amongst　them；　the　wily　tortoise　drew　near　unto　him　and　called　down　blessings　on　him；　giving　him　joy　of　his　safe　return　and　saying；　〃O　my　lord；　know　that　God　hath　vouchsafed　thee　our　love　and　hath　in　like　manner　set　in　thy　heart　the　love　of　us；　so　that　thou　art　bee　to　us　a　familiar　friend　and　a　rade　in　this　desert　place。　Now　the　goodliest　of　times　for　those　who　love　each　other　is　when　they　are　in　pany　and　the　sorest　of　afflictions　for　them　is　absence　and　separation。　But　thou　leavest　us　at　peep　of　day　and　returnest　not　to　us　till　sundown；　wherefore　there　betideth　us　sore　desolation。　Indeed　this　is　exceeding　grievous　unto　us　and　we　abide　in　sore　longing　by　reason　thereof。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　the　bird；　〃I　love　you　also　and　yearn　for　you　yet　more　than　you　for　me；　nor　is　it　easy　for　me　to　leave　you；　but　I　have　no　help　for　this；　seeing　that　I　am　a　bird　with　wings　and　may　not　abide　with　you　always；　because　that　is　not　of　my　nature。　For　a　bird；　being　a　winged　creature；　may　not　remain　still；　except　it　be　for　the　sake　of　sleep　at　night；　but；　as　soon　as　it　is　day；　he　flies　away　and　seeks　his　food　in　what　place　soever　pleases　him。〃　〃True；〃　answered　the　tortoise