第106章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(28)

My fifth brotherhe of the cropt earsO Commander of the Faithfulwas a poor manwho used to ask alms by night and live by day on what he got thus. Nowour fatherwho was an old man，far advanced in yearsfell sick and diedleaving us seven hundred dirhems. So we took each of us a hundred；but when my brother received his sharehe was at a loss to know what to do with ittill he bethought him to buy glass of all sorts and sell it at a profit. So he bought a hundred dirhems'worth of glass and putting it in a great basketsat downto sell iton a raised benchat the foot of a wallagainst which he leant his back. As he satwith the basket before him： be fell to musing in himself and said'I have laid out a hundred dirhems on this glass and I will sell it for two hundredwith which I will buy other glass and sell it for four hundred；nor will I cease to buy and sell thustill I have gotten much wealth. With this I will buy all kinds of merchandise and jewels and perfumes and gain great profit on themtillGod willingI will make my capital a hundred thousand dirhems. Then I will buy a handsome housetogether with slaves and horses and trappings of gold，and eat and drinknor will I leave a singing-man or woman in the city but I will have them to sing to me. As soon as I have amassed a hundred thousand dirhemsI will send out marriage-brokers to demand for me in marriage the daughters of kings and viziers；and I will seek the hand of the Vizier's daughterfor I hear that she is perfect in beauty and of surpassing grace. I will give her a dowry of a thousand dinars，and if her father consentwell；if notI will take her by forcein spite of him. When I return homeI will buy ten little eunuchs and clothes for myself such as are worn by kings and sultans and get me a saddle of goldset thick with jewels of price. Then I will mount and parade the citywith slaves before and behind mewhilst the folk salute me and call down blessings upon me： after which I will repair to the Vizierthe girl's fatherwith slaves behind and before meas well as on my either hand. When he sees mehe will rise and seating me in his own placesit down below mefor that I am his son-in-law. Now I will have with me two eunuchs with pursesin each a thousand dinarsand I will deliver him the thousand dinars of the dowry and make him a present of other thousandthat he may have cause to know my nobility and generosity and greatness of mind and the littleness of the world in my eyes；and for ten words he proffers meI will answer him two. Then I will return to my houseand if one come to me on the bride's partI will make him a present of money and clothe him in a robe of honour；but if he bring me a presentI will return it to him and will not accept itthat they may know that I am great of soul. Then I will command them to bring her to me in state and will order my house fittingly in the meantime. When the time of the unveiling is comeI will don my richest clothes and sit down on a couch of brocaded silk，leaning on a cushion and turning neither to the right nor to the leftfor the haughtiness of my mind and the gravity of my understanding. My wife shall stand before me like the full moon，in her robes and ornamentsand Iof my pride and my disdain，will not look at hertill all who are present shall say to me，'O my lordthy wife and thy handmaid stands before thee： deign to look upon her！for standing is irksome to her.'And they will kiss the earth before me many timeswhereupon I will lift my eyes and give one glance at herthen bend down my head again.

Then they will carry her to the bride-chamberand meanwhile I will rise and change my clothes for a richer suit. When they bring in the bride for the second timeI will not look at her till they have implored me several timeswhen I will glance at her and bow down my head；nor will I leave to do thustill they have made an end of displaying herwhen I will order one of my eunuchs to fetch a purse of five hundred dinars and giving it to the tire-womencommand them to lead me to the bride-chamber.

When they leave me alone with the brideI will not look at her or speak to herbut will lie by her with averted facethat she may say I am high of soul. Presently her mother will come to me and kiss my head and hands and say to me'O my lordlook on thy handmaidfor she longs for thy favourand heal her spirit. But I will give her no answer；and when she sees thisshe will come and kiss my feet repeatedly and say'O my lordverily my daughter is a beautiful girlwho has never seen man；and if thou show her this aversionher heart will break；so do thou incline to her and speak to her.'Then she will rise and fetch a cup of wineand her daughter will take it and come to me；but I will leave her standing before mewhilst I recline upon a cushion of cloth of goldand will not look at her for the haughtiness of my heartso that she will think me to be a Sultan of exceeding dignity and will say to me'O my lordfor God's sakedo not refuse to take the cup from thy servant's handfor indeed I am thy handmaid.'But I will not speak to herand she will press mesaying'Needs must thou drink it，'and put it to my lips.

Then I will shake my fist in her face and spurn her with my foot thus.'So sayinghe gave a kick with his foot and knocked over the basket of glasswhich fell to the groundand all that was in it was broken. 'All this comes of my pride！'cried heand fell to buffeting his face and tearing his clothes and weeping.

The folk who were going to the Friday prayers saw himand some of them looked at him and pitied himwhilst others paid no heed to himand in this way my brother lost both capital and profit.