第4章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(2)

Then the queen called out'O Mesoud！'And there came to her a black slavewho embraced her and she him. Then he lay with her，and on likewise did the other slaves with the girls. And they ceased not from kissing and clipping and cricketing and carousing until the day began to wane. When the King of Tartary saw this，he said to himself'By Allahmy mischance was lighter than this！'And his grief and chagrin relaxed from him and he said，'This is more grievous than what happened to me！'So he put away his melancholy and ate and drank. Presentlyhis brother came back from hunting and they saluted each other： and Shehriyar looked at Shahzeman and saw that his colour had returned and his face was rosy and he ate heartilywhereas before he ate but little. So he said to him'O my brotherwhen I last saw thee，thou wast pale and wanand now I see that the colour has returned to thy face. Tell me how it is with thee.'Quoth Shahzeman'I will tell thee what caused my loss of colourbut excuse me from acquainting thee with the cause of its return to me.'Said Shehriyar'Let me hear first what was the cause of thy pallor and weakness.'Know thenO my brother，'rejoined Shahzeman'that when thou sentest thy vizier to bid me to thee，I made ready for the journey and had actually quitted my capital citywhen I remembered that I had left behind me a certain jewelthat which I gave thee. So I returned to my palacewhere I found my wife asleep in my bedin the arms of a black slave. I slew them both and came to thee；and it was for brooding over this affairthat I lost my colour and became weak. But forgive me if I tell thee not the cause of my restoration to health.'

When his brother heard thishe said to him'I conjure thee by Allahtell me the reason of thy recovery！'So he told him all that he had seenand Shehriyar said'I must see this with my own eyes.'Then，'replied Shahzeman'feign to go forth to hunt and hide thyself in my lodging and thou shalt see all this and have ocular proof of the truth.'So Shehriyar ordered his attendants to prepare to set out at once；whereupon the troops encamped without the city and he himself went forth with them and sat in his pavilionbidding his servants admit no one. Then he disguised himself and returned secretly to King Shahzeman's palace and sat with him at the lattice overlooking the garden，until the damsels and their mistress came out with the slaves and did as his brother had reportedtill the call to afternoon prayer. When King Shehriyar saw thishe was as one distraught and said to his brother'Ariselet us depart hencefor we have no concern with kingshipand wander till we find one to whom the like has happened as to uselse our death were better than our life.'Then they went out by a postern of the palace and journeyed days and nights till they came to a tree standing in the midst of a meadowby a spring of wateron the shore of the salt seaand they drank of the stream and sat down by it to rest. When the day was somewhat spentbeholdthe sea became troubled and there rose from it a black column that ascended to the sky and made towards the meadow. When the princes saw this，they were afraid and climbed up to the top of the treewhich was a high onethat they might see what was the matter；and behold，it was a genie of lofty staturebroad-browed and wide-cheated，bearing on his head a coffer of glass with seven locks of steel.

He landed and sat down under the treewhere he set down the cofferand opening ittook out a smaller one. This also he openedand there came forth a damsel slender of form and dazzlingly beautifulas she were a shining sunas says the poet Uteyeh：

She shines out in the duskand lo！the day is hereAnd all the trees flower forth with blossoms bright and clear，The sun from out her brows arisesand the moonWhen she unveils her facecloth hide for shame and fear.

All living things prostrate themselves before her feetWhen she unshrouds and all her hidden charms appear；

And when she flashes forth the lightnings of her glanceShe maketh eyes to rainlike showerswith many a tear.

When the genie saw herhe said to her'O queen of noble ladies，thou whom indeed I stole away on thy wedding nightI have a mind to sleep awhile.'And he laid his head on her knees and fell asleep. Presently the lady raised her eyes to the tree and saw the two kings among the branches；so she lifted the genie's head from her lap and laid it on the groundthen rose and stood beneath the tree and signed to them to descendwithout heeding the Afrit. They answered herin the same manner'God on thee excuse us from this.'But she rejoined by signsas who should say'If you do not come downI will wake the Afrit on youand he will kill you without mercy.'So they were afraid and came down to herwhereupon she came up to them and offered them her favourssaying'To itboth of youand lustily；or I will set the Afrit on you.'So for fear of himKing Shehriyar said to his brother Shahzeman'O brotherdo as she bids thee.'

But he replied'Not I；do thou have at her first.'And they made signs to each other to pass firsttill she said'Why do I see you make signs to each other？ An you come not forward and fall toI will rouse the Afrit on you.'So for fear of the genie，they lay with her one after the otherand when they had done，she bade them ariseand took out of her bosom a purse containing a necklace made of five hundred and seventy ringsand said to them'Know ye what these are？'They answered'No.'And she said'Every one of the owners of these rings has had to do with me in despite of this Afrit. And now give me your ringsboth of you.'So each of them took off a ring and gave it to her. And she said to them'Know that this genie carried me off on my wedding night and laid me in a box and shut the box up in a glass chest，on which he clapped seven strong locks and sank it to the bottom of the roaring stormy seaknowing not that nothing can hinder a womanwhen she desires aughteven as says one of the poets：

I rede thee put no Faith in womankindNor trust the oaths they lavish all in vain：

For on the satisfaction of their lusts Depend alike their love and their disdain.