The future Wife of 'Azeez
After this, she said to me, O 'Azeez, which of the two states isthe more agreeable to thee, life or death? I answered her, Life. And she said, Then if life is more agreeable to thee, marry me.—I dislike, I replied, marrying such a person as thou. She rejoined, if thou marry me, thou wilt be secure from the daughter of the crafty Deleeleh.44—And who, said I, is the daughter of the crafty Deleeleh? She laughed, and answered, How is it that thou knowest her not, when thou hast now been in her company a year and four months? May Allah (whose name be exalted!) destroy her. Verily there existeth not any one more treacherous than she. How many persons hath she killed before thee, and what deeds hath she done! And how hast thou escaped from her, without her killing or troubling thee, when thou hast been in her company all this time?—When I heard her words I wondered extremely, and said to her, O my mistress, who acquainted thee with her? She answered, I know her as the age knoweth its calamities; but I desire that thou inform me of all that thou hast experienced from her, that I may know the cause of thy safety from her. So I related to her all that had happened to me with her and with my cousin 'Azeezeh; and she exclaimed, Allah have mercy upon her!—and her eyes shed tears, and she struck her hands together, when she heard of the death of my cousin 'Azeezeh, and said, May Allah compensate thee abundantly for the loss of her, O 'Azeez; for she hath been the cause of thy safety from the daughter of the crafty Deleeleh; and had it not been for her, thou hadst perished.45After this, she clapped her hands, and said, O my mother, bring in those who are with thee. And lo, the old woman approached with four lawful witnesses; and she lighted four candles; and when the witnesses entered, they saluted me, and seated themselves; and the damsel covered herself with an izár, and appointed one of the witnesses to be her deputy in making her contract. So they performed the marriage-contract, and she affirmed of herself that she had received the whole of the dowry, both the portion usually paid in advance and the arrears, and that she was indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand pieces of silver; after which she gave to the witnesses their fees, and they departed.
On the following day, I desired to go out; but she approached me laughing, and said, Dost thou think that going out from the bath is like entering it?46I imagine thou thinkest me to be like the daughter of the crafty Deleeleh. Beware of entertaining such an idea. Thou art no other than my husband, according to the Ḳur-án and the Sunneh; and if thou hast been intoxicated, returnto thy reason. Verily this house in which thou art is not opened but on one day in every year. Go to the street-door and look.—So I went and looked, and found it closed and nailed, and returned and told her so; and she said to me, O 'Azeez, we have of flour and grain and fruits and pomegranates and sugar and meat and sheep and fowls and other provisions what will suffice us for many years, and from this last night our door will not be opened until after a year and I know that thou wilt not behold thyself outside this house until after a year hath expired. Upon this I exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God! And she laughed, and I laughed also, and complied with her orders, and remained with her until the twelve months of the year had expired, when I was blest with a son by her. And on the first day of the following year, I heard the opening of the door, and lo, men came in with kaạks47and flour and sugar; and I desired to go out; but she said to me, Wait until nightfall, and as thou camest in, so go forth. I therefore waited until that hour, and was on the point of going out, in fear and trembling, when she said to me, By Allah, I will not let thee go until I have made thee swear to me that thou wilt return this night before the door is closed. So I promised her to do it; and she made me swear by binding oaths upon the sword and the Ḳur-án, and by the oath of divorce, that I would return to her.48
I then went forth from her, and repaired to the garden. I found it open as usual, and was angry, saying within myself, I have been absent from this place a whole year, and, coming unawares, have found it open as usual. I wonder if the damsel be still there as heretofore, and I must enter and see before I go to my mother.—It was then nightfall, and I entered the garden, and, proceeding to the maḳ'ad, found the daughter of the crafty Deleeleh sitting with her head upon her knee and her hand upon her cheek. Her complexion was changed, and her eyes were sunk, and when she beheld me she exclaimed, Praise be to God for thy safety!—and she endeavoured to rise, but fell down through her joy. I was ashamed at seeing her, and hung down my head; but presently I advanced to her and kissed her, and said to her, How didst thou know that I was coming to thee at this time? She answered, I knew it not. By Allah, for a year I have not tasted sleep; but have sat up every night expecting thee, and in this state have I been from the day when thou wentest forth from me and I gave thee the new suit of clothing and thou promisedst me that thou wouldst return to me.I remained expecting thee, and thou camest not the first night, nor the second, nor the third: so I still waited in expectation of thy coming; for such is the way of the lover: and I would now that thou tell me what hath been the cause of thine absence from me this year. I therefore told her; and when she knew that I had married, her countenance became pale. I then said to her, I have come to thee this night, but must go before the morning. But she exclaimed, Is it not enough for her to have married thee, and to have employed this stratagem against thee, and imprisoned thee with her a whole year, that she hath made thee swear by the oath of divorce that thou wilt return to her before the morning, and will not allow thee to divert thyself with thy mother nor with me, and cannot endure thy passing one night with either of us? What then must be the state of her from whom thou hast been absent a whole year, though I knew thee before she did! But may Allah have mercy on 'Azeezeh; for she suffered what none other hath suffered, and endured with patience that of which none else hath endured the like, and died through thy oppression. It was she who protected thee from me. I thought that thou wouldst return, and gave thee liberty, though I was able to imprison thee, and to destroy thee.
The Punishment of 'Azeez
Having thus said, she wept, and became enraged, and looked at me with the eye of anger; and when I beheld her in this state, the muscles of my side quivered, and I feared her, and became as the bean upon the fire. She then cried out, and suddenly ten female slaves came to me, and threw me upon the floor; and when I fell under their hands, she arose, and, taking a knife, said, I willslaughter thee as goats are slaughtered, and this shall be thy least recompense for that which thou hast done unto thy Cousin. When I beheld myself, therefore, beneath her female slaves, and my cheek was soiled with the dust, and I saw the knife in her hand, I looked upon death as inevitable. I implored her mercy; but she only increased in hardness, and ordered the female slaves to bind my hands behind me; and they did so, and, throwing me upon my back, seated themselves upon my body, and held my head. Then two of them arose and took hold of my toes, and two others seated themselves upon my legs; after which, their mistress arose, with two others of them, and she ordered them to beat me; whereupon they beat me until I fainted, and my voice became inaudible; and when I recovered, I said within myself, Verily my being slaughtered were easier to me than this beating! I bethought myself of the words of my cousin, when she said, May God avert from thee her wickedness!—and I cried out and wept until my voice failed. She then sharpened the knife, and said to the female slaves, Uncover his throat. But God inspired me to repeat the two phrases which my cousin had charged me to utter, namely, Fidelity is good, and treachery is base;—and when she heard this, she cried out and said, Allah have mercy upon thee, O 'Azeezeh! Would that thy youth had been spared! Thou hast profited thy cousin during thy life and after thy death!—Then addressing me, she added, By Allah, thou hast saved thy life from me by means of these two phrases; but I must cause thee to bear a mark of my resentment.—So saying, she inflicted upon me a cruel wound, and I fainted; but when I recovered, the blood had stopped, and she gave me to drink a cup of wine, and spurned me with her foot.
I rose; but was unable at first to walk: presently, however, I proceeded by little and little until I arrived at the door of my wife's house. I found it open, and threw myself within it, in a state of distraction; and my wife came and took me up and conveyed me to the saloon, where I fell into a deep sleep; but when I awoke, I found myself laid at the gate of the garden.
In anguish I rose, and went to my home, and, entering the house, found my mother weeping for me, and exclaiming, Would that I knew, O my son, in what land thou art! So I approached her, and threw myself upon her, and when she beheld me, she saw that I was unwell. Yellowness and blackness were mingled upon my face; and I remembered my cousin, and the kindness she hadshewn me, and was convinced that she loved me. I wept for her, and my mother also wept, and then said to me, O my son, thy father is dead. And upon this, my rage increased, and I wept until I became insensible; and when I recovered, I looked towards the place where my cousin was accustomed to sit, and wept again till I fainted from the violence of my lamentation. I ceased not to weep and wail until midnight, when my mother said to me, Thy father hath been dead ten days. But I replied, I think of no one but my cousin; for I deserve what hath happened to me, because I neglected her when she loved me. She asked me, therefore, And what hath happened to thee? So I related to her that which had befallen me; to which she replied, Praise be to God that this happened to thee and that she did not slaughter thee! She then applied remedies to my wound until I recovered, and regained my usual strength; and she said to me, O my son, I will now produce to thee the deposite with which thy cousin intrusted me; for it is thine, and she made me swear that I would not produce it to thee until I saw that thou rememberedst her and mournedst for her, and that thine affections for another were severed; and now I hope that I find in thee these dispositions. She therefore arose, and, opening a chest, took forth from it this piece of linen containing the design of the gazelles, which I had originally given to her; and when I took it, I found written upon it some verses complaining of her unrequited love for me, and there fell from it a paper containing some words of consolation and counsel.49
As soon as I had read and understood this paper, I wept again, and my mother did the same, and I continued looking at it and weeping until the approach of night; and in this state I remained for the space of a year; after which, some merchants of my city, the same whom I am accompanying in this caravan, prepared for a journey; and my mother suggested to me that I should fit myself out and go with them, saying to me, Perhaps the journey will dispel this sorrow which thou sufferest, and thou wilt be absent a year, or two years, or three, until the caravan returneth, and thy heart may become dilated. Thus she continued to persuade me, so that I prepared some merchandise, and journeyed with them; but my tears have not dried up during my travels; for at every station where we halt I spread this piece of linen before me, and look at this design, and think of my cousin, and weep for her as thou seest, since she loved me excessively, and died through my unkindness; I doing nothing but evil to her, while she did nothing to me but what was good.When the merchants return from their journey, I shall return with them, and the period of my absence will be a complete year; but I still suffer increasing sorrow; and my sorrow hath been only augmented in consequence of my passing by the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal.50
These Islands are seven in number, and the sovereign of them is a King named Sháh-Zemán.51He hath a daughter named Dunyà;52and it was told me that it was she who worked the designs of the gazelles, and that this design which is in my possession was one of her work; and when I knew this, I became excessively desirous of seeing her: so, when the caravan entered her country, I went forth and wandered about the gardens, which contained a profusion of trees. The superintendent of the gardens was a sheykh advanced in age; and I said to him, O sheykh, to whom doth this garden belong? He answered, To the King's daughter, the lady Dunyà, and we are beneath her palace; and if thou desire to amuse thyself, open the private door, and take a view of the garden and smell the odours of the flowers. So I said to him, Have the kindness to allow me to sit in this garden until she passeth by, that I may enjoy a glance at her. The sheykh replied, There will be no harm in thy doing so. When he said this, therefore, I gave him some money, saying to him, Buy for us something to eat. And he rejoiced at receiving the money, and, opening the door, conducted me within; and we proceeded until we came to a pleasant spot, where he brought me some delicate fruits, and said to me, Sit here while I go and return to thee. And he left me and departed, and, after he had been absent a while, returned bringing a roasted lamb; and we ate until we were satisfied, my heart longing to behold the lady, and while we were sitting, lo, the door opened; whereupon he said to me, Rise, and conceal thyself. So I rose, and hid myself; and a black eunuch put forth his head from the door, and said, O sheykh, is any one with thee? He answered, No.—Then close the door, said the eunuch. The sheykh, therefore, closed the door of the garden; and lo, the lady Dunyà came forth. When I beheld her, I thought that the moon had descended upon the earth; my mind was confounded, and I desired her as the thirsty longeth for water; and after a while, she closed the door and departed. I then went forth from the garden, and repaired to my lodging, knowing that I could not obtain access to her; and when my companions prepared for departure, I also prepared myself, and travelled with them towards thy city; and on our arrival here, we met withthee.—This is my story, and this is what hath happened unto me; and peace be on thee.
The Lady Dunyà
When Táj-el-Mulook heard this story, his heart became troubled with love for the lady Dunyà. He then mounted his horse, and, taking with him 'Azeez, returned to his father's city, where he assigned to him a house, and furnished it with everything that he required; after which he left him, and repaired to his palace. His tears ran down upon his cheeks (for hearing affecteth as sight and union), and in this state he remained until his father came in to him, and, finding that his colour was changed, knew that he was oppressed by anxiety and grief: so he said to him, O my son, acquaint me with thy case, and tell me what hath happened to thee to change thycolour. He therefore related to him all that he had heard of the story of Dunyà, and how he had fallen in love with her from hearsay, without having seen her; whereupon his father said to him, O my son, her father is a King, and his country is distant from us: abandon, therefore, this idea, and enter the palace of thy mother; for in it are five hundred female slaves like so many moons, and whoever of them pleaseth thee do thou take her; or, if none of them please thee, we will demand in marriage for thee one of the daughters of the Kings, more beautiful than the lady Dunyà. But he replied, O my father, I desire not any but her: it was she who worked the design of the gazelles that I saw, and I must have her, or I will flee into the deserts, and kill myself on her account.
So his father said, Have patience with me, O my son, that I may send to her father and demand her of him in marriage, and accomplish for thee thy wish, like as I did for myself in the case of thy mother; and if he consent not, I will convulse his kingdom around him, and send against him an army of which the rear shall be with me when the van is with him. He then called for the young man 'Azeez, and said to him, O my son, knowest thou the way? He answered, Yes.—Then I desire of thee, said the King, that thou journey with my Wezeer. And 'Azeez replied, I hear and obey, O King of the age. The King, therefore, summoned his Wezeer, and said to him, Manage for me the affair of my son according to thy knowledge, and repair to the Islands of Camphor, and demand in marriage the daughter of their King. He replied, I hear and obey. And Táj-el-Mulook returned to his apartments, and his malady and impatience increased: he fell down in a swoon, and recovered not until the morning; and when the morning arrived, his father came to him, and saw his complexion more changed, and his sallowness increased; and he exhorted him to patience, and promised him the accomplishment of his union.
The King then equipped 'Azeez, with his Wezeer, and supplied them with the presents; and they journeyed days and nights until they beheld the Islands of Camphor, when they halted on the bank of a river, and the Wezeer sent forward a messenger from his party to the King, to acquaint him with their approach; and half a day after the departure of the messenger, suddenly they saw that the chamberlains of the King, and his emeers, had advanced to meet them from the distance of a league; and they met him, and attended them until they went in with them to the King. They placedbefore the King the presents, and remained in his palace four days; and on the fifth day the Wezeer arose and went in to the King, and, standing before him, delivered to him his message, and acquainted him with the cause of his coming; but the King was perplexed how to answer, for his daughter liked not marriage; and he hung down his head for a while towards the floor; and after this he raised it, and, looking towards one of the eunuchs, said to him, Go to thy mistress Dunyà, and acquaint her with what thou hast heard, and with the purpose of the visit of this Wezeer. So the eunuch went, and, after a short absence, returned to the King, and said to him, O King of the age, when I went in to the lady Dunyà, and acquainted her with what I had heard, she was violently enraged, and rose against me with a stick, and would have broken my head; wherefore I fled from her; and she said to me, If my father force me to marry, him whom I marry I will kill. Her father, therefore, said to the Wezeer and 'Azeez, Salute ye the King, and inform him of this, and that my daughter liketh not marriage. Accordingly the Wezeer returned with his attendants unsuccessful, and they continued their journey until they went in unto the King, and acquainted him with what had happened; and upon this he ordered the chiefs to call together the troops that they might march to war; but the Wezeer said to him, Do not this; for the King is not in fault: the refusal is on the part of his daughter, who, when she knew of this proposal, sent to say, If my father force me to marry, I will kill him whom I marry, and kill myself after him.
And when the King heard the words of the Wezeer, he feared for his son Táj-el-Mulook, and said, If I make war upon her father, and obtain possession of his daughter, she will kill herself. He then acquainted his son Táj-el-Mulook with the truth of the case; and when the prince heard it, he said to his father, O my father, I cannot exist without her: I will therefore go to her, and seek means of obtaining an interview with her, though I die in the attempt: and I will do nothing but this. His father said, How wilt thou go to her? He answered, I will go in the disguise of a merchant.—Then if it must be so, rejoined the King, take with thee the Wezeer and 'Azeez. He then took forth for him some money from his treasuries, and prepared for him merchandise at the price of a hundred thousand pieces of gold, and they both agreed as to this course; and when night came, Táj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez went to the abode of the latter, and there passed that night. But the heart of Táj-el-Mulook wascaptivated, and neither eating nor rest pleased him: reflections overwhelmed him, and he was drowned in them; and, longing for his beloved, he poured forth his tears, and wept violently; and 'Azeez wept with him, reflecting upon his cousin; and they both continued thus until the morning, when Táj-el-Mulook arose and went in to his mother. He was equipped for the journey; and she asked him respecting his state: so he acquainted her with the whole truth; and she gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and bade him farewell, and he went forth from her, while she offered up prayers for his safety, and for his union with the object of his love. He then went in to his father, and asked his permission to depart; and the King granted him permission, and gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and ordered that a tent should be pitched for him outside the city.
Halt on the Journey
A large tent was therefore pitched for him; and after they had remained in it two days, they commenced their journey; and Táj-el-Mulook treated 'Azeez with familiar kindness, and said to him, O my brother, I cannot henceforth part with thee.—And I, replied 'Azeez, am of the like mind, and desire to die at thy feet; but, O my brother, my heart is troubled with thoughts of my mother. So Táj-el-Mulooksaid, When we shall have attained our wish, all will be well. Now the Wezeer had charged Táj-el-Mulook to display an air of patience, and 'Azeez occupied himself with reciting to him verses, and narrating to him histories and tales; and they continued on their way by night and day for the space of two months. The length of the journey became wearisome to Táj-el-Mulook; and the violence of his desire, and his passion and distraction, increased: so when they drew near to the city, he rejoiced excessively, and his anxiety and grief ceased.
They entered it in the garb of merchants, the King's son being also clad in the same manner, and, coming to a place known as the abode of merchants, which was a large Khán, Táj-el-Mulook said to 'Azeez, Is this the abode of the merchants? 'Azeez answered, Yes: it is not, however, the Khán in which I lodged with the caravan that I accompanied; but it is better than that. So they made their camels lie down, and unloaded, and, having deposited their goods in the magazines, remained there to take rest four days. The Wezeer then suggested to them that they should hire for themselves a large house; to which they assented; and they hired a spacious house, fitted for festivities. There they took up their abode; and the Wezeer and 'Azeez studied to devise some stratagem for the sake of Táj-el-Mulook, who was perplexed, not knowing what to do. The Wezeer could contrive no other plan than that of his opening for himself a shop to carry on the trade of a merchant in the market of fine stuffs: he therefore addressed Táj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, and said to them, Know that if we remain in this state we shall not attain our wish; and a thing hath occurred to my mind which probably may be advisable, if it be the will of God. So they replied, Do what seemeth fit to thee; for a blessing attendeth the aged, and especially in thy case, since thou hast devoted thyself to the management of affairs: therefore give us the advice which hath suggested itself to thy mind. And he said to Táj-el-Mulook, It is my opinion that we should hire for thee a shop in the market of fine stuffs, and that thou shouldst sit in it to sell and buy; for every person of the higher ranks and of the people in general standeth in need of such stuffs, and if thou sit in that shop thy affair will be arranged, if it be the will of God (whose name be exalted!), especially because of thy comely person; but make 'Azeez thy trusty attendant, and seat him in the shop to hand to thee the stuffs. And when Táj-el-Mulook heard these words, he said. This is a judicious opinion;—and immediately he took forth asuit of merchant's attire, and clad himself in it, and arose and went forth, followed by his young men, and gave to one of them a thousand pieces of gold to fit up the shop.
They proceeded until they arrived at the market of fine stuffs, and when the merchants saw Táj-el-Mulook, and observed his handsome and comely person, they were confounded, and began to say, Hath Riḍwán53opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them, so that this youth of surprising beauty hath come forth?—and one said, This is probably one of the angels. And when they went in among the merchants, they inquired for the shop of the Sheykh of the market. The merchants, therefore, guided them thither, and they went to him; and as they approached him, he and the merchants who were with him rose to them, and received them with honour, especially the excellent Wezeer; for they saw him to be an aged and venerable man; and observing that he was accompanied by Táj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, they said, No doubt this sheykh is the father of these two young men. The Wezeer then said to them, Who among you is the Sheykh of the market? They answered, This is he. And the Wezeer, looking at him and observing him, saw that he was an old man of grave and respectable aspect, and possessing servants and young men. The Sheykh of the market greeted them with friendly compliments, and treated them with great honour, and, having seated them by his side, said to them, Have ye any business which we may have the happiness of transacting? The Wezeer answered, Yes: I am an old man, advanced in age, and I have these two young men: I have travelled with them through all regions and countries, and have not entered a town without remaining in it a whole year, that they might amuse themselves with the sight of it and become acquainted with its inhabitants; and now I have come to this your town, and have chosen to make a stay in it: I therefore desire of thee one of the best shops, that I may seat them in it to traffic, and that they may amuse themselves with the sight of this city, and acquire the manners of its people, and obtain an experience in buying and selling and other commercial transactions.
So the Sheykh of the market replied, There will be no harm in doing so:—and, looking at the two young men, he was delighted with them, and he arose and stood like a servant before them to wait upon them. And afterwards he went and prepared for them the shop: it was in the midst of the market, and there was none larger than it, nor any more handsome there; for it was spacious anddecorated, and contained shelves of ivory and ebony. He then delivered the keys to the Wezeer (who was also in the garb of a merchant), and said, God grant that it may be attended with blessings to thy two sons!54And when the Wezeer had taken the keys of the shop, he went to it, together with the servants, who deposited in it their goods; and they ordered the servants to remove thither all the merchandise and stuffs and rarities that they had. These things were worth treasuries of wealth; and they transported the whole of them to the shop. They then passed the night, and in the morning the Wezeer conducted the two young men to the bath, where they washed and enjoyed themselves to the utmost, after which they returned to their abode to rest from the fatigue of bathing, and ate and drank; and they passed the next night in their abode in the most perfect joy and happiness. And on the following morning they rose from their sleep, and, having performed the ablution, recited the divinely-ordained prayers, and drank their morning-beverage;55and when daylight came, and the shops and markets were opened, they went forth from their abode, and repaired to the market, and opened the shop. The servants had prepared it for them in the handsomest manner, and spread it with carpets of silk, and placed in it two mattresses, each of which was worth a hundred pieces of gold; and upon each mattress they spread a skin such as Kings sit upon, surrounded with an edge of gold: so Táj-el-Mulook seated himself upon one mattress, and 'Azeez upon the other, and the Wezeer sat in the midst of the shop, while the servants stood before them. The people heard of them, and crowded about them, and they sold of their merchandise; and the fame of Táj-el-Mulook was spread through the city, and the report of his handsomeness and comeliness was blazed throughout it. They continued this life for several days, the people pressing to them; after which the Wezeer addressed Táj-el-Mulook, and enjoined him to conceal his case, and, having charged 'Azeez to keep watch over him, repaired to the house to plan some mode of proceeding that might be of advantage to them. Meanwhile, Táj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez sat conversing together; and the former said, Perhaps some one may come from the lady Dunyà.
Táj-el-Mulook receiving the Old Woman
Thus Táj-el-Mulook passed his time days and nights, and slept not; desire overpowered him, and he became more and more emaciated and infirm, renouncing the delight of sleep, and abstaining from drink and food; but still he was like the full moon: and as he was sitting one day, lo, an old woman approached and advancedtowards him, followed by two female slaves, and she continued to draw near until she stopped at his shop. Beholding his graceful person, and his handsome and lovely aspect, she wondered at his beauty, and said, Extolled be the perfection of Him who created thee! Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath made thee a temptation to all creatures!—She ceased not to gaze at him, and said, This is not a mortal: this is no other than a noble angel!56Then drawing close to him, she saluted him, and he returned her salutation, and rose to her, standing upon his feet,57and smiled in her face. All this he did at the hinting of 'Azeez; after which he seated her by his side, and occupied himself with fanning her until she had rested herself; when she said to him, O my son! O thou of perfect qualities and graces! art thou of this country?—Táj-el-Mulook answered her, with an eloquent and sweet and charming voice, By Allah, O my mistress, in my life I never entered this country until now; and I have not taken up my abode in it but for the sake of amusement. And she wished him honour, and welcomed him, and said, What stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me something beautiful; for the beautiful bringeth not anything but what is beautiful.—And whenTáj-el-Mulook heard her words his heart palpitated; but he understood not their meaning: so 'Azeez made a sign to him; and Táj-el-Mulook said to her, I have everything that thou desirest of stuffs suitable only to Kings and the daughters of Kings. For whom, then, wouldst thou purchase, that I may display to thee what will be appropriate?—He desired by this question to learn the meaning of her words; and she answered, I want some stuff suitable to the lady Dunyà, the daughter of King Sháh-Zemán. On hearing the mention of his beloved, Táj-el-Mulook rejoiced exceedingly, and said to 'Azeez, Bring me the most magnificent of the goods that are by thee. And 'Azeez gave him a wrapper, and untied it before her, and Táj-el-Mulook said to her, Choose what will suit her; for this is such as is not found with any but me. So the old woman chose some stuff that was worth a thousand pieces of gold; and said, What is the price of this?—What! said he, shall I bargain with a person like thee respecting this contemptible thing? Praise be to God who hath made me acquainted with thee.—And the old woman exclaimed, I invoke, for thy comely face, the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak!58for verily thy face is comely, and so are thine actions. Joy be to her who possesseth thee, and especially if she be endowed with beauty like thee!—Upon this, Táj-el-Mulook laughed until he fell backwards, and said [within himself], O Accomplisher of desires by the means of wicked old women!59And she said to him, O my son, what is thy name? He answered, My name is Táj-el-Mulook.—This, she replied, is one of the names of Kings; but thou art in the garb of the merchants. So 'Azeez said, From the affection of his family for him, and the high estimation in which they held him, they gave him this name. And the old woman replied, Thou hast spoken truth. May God avert from you the evil of the envious, though hearts be broken by your charms!
She then took the stuff, and departed, confounded by his handsomeness and loveliness and elegant form; and she proceeded until she went in to the lady Dunyà, when she said to her, O my mistress, I have brought thee some beautiful stuff.—Shew it me, said the lady. And she replied, O my mistress, here it is: turn it over, and behold it. And when the lady Dunyà saw it, she said to her, O my nurse, verily this is beautiful stuff; I have not seen such in our city!—O my mistress, replied the old woman, the seller of it surpasseth it in beauty. It seemeth as though Riḍwán had opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them, and so the merchant who selleth this stuff had comeforth from it. I wish he were with thee; for he is a temptation to every one who beholdeth him. He hath come to our city with these stuffs for the sake of amusement.—At these words of the old woman the lady Dunyà laughed, and said, Allah afflict thee, thou ill-omened old woman! Thou hast spoken nonsense, and art become insane.—She then added, Give me the stuff that I may examine it closely. So the old woman handed it to her, and she looked at it again, and saw that it was but little, and that its price was great; and she wondered at its beauty; for she had never in her life seen anything like it. The old woman then said to her, O my mistress, if thou didst behold its owner, thou wouldst know that he is the handsomest person on the face of the earth. And the lady Dunyà said to her, Didst thou ask him if he had any want to be performed, that he might acquaint us with it, and thou mightest accomplish it for him? The old woman, shaking her head, replied, Allah preserve thy sagacity! By Allah, he hath a want. And is any person without one?—Go to him, then, said the lady Dunyà, and salute him, and say to him, I have been honoured by thine arrival in our city, and whatever want thou hast, we will perform it for thee on the head and the eye.
The old woman, therefore, returned immediately to Táj-el-Mulook, and when he saw her, his heart leaped with joy, and he rose to her, standing upon his feet, and, taking her hand, seated her by his side. So when she had sat and rested herself, she informed him of that which the lady Dunyà had said. On hearing this, he was filled with the utmost joy; his bosom expanded, and he said within himself, I have accomplished my wish! He then said to the old woman, Perhaps thou wilt convey to her a letter from me, and bring me back the answer. She replied, I hear and obey. And when he heard her reply, he said to 'Azeez, Give me an inkhorn and paper, and a pen of brass. And 'Azeez having given him these things, he wrote the following verses:—
I write to thee a letter, O object of my petition, expressive of the torment that I suffer from separation;And first, I make known to thee the ardour of my heart; and secondly, my desire and eager longing;And thirdly, the expiring of my life and patience; and fourthly, that all the violence of my love remaineth;And fifthly, I ask, When shall I behold thee? and sixthly, When shall be the day of our union?
I write to thee a letter, O object of my petition, expressive of the torment that I suffer from separation;And first, I make known to thee the ardour of my heart; and secondly, my desire and eager longing;And thirdly, the expiring of my life and patience; and fourthly, that all the violence of my love remaineth;And fifthly, I ask, When shall I behold thee? and sixthly, When shall be the day of our union?
He then added beneath, This letter is from the captive of desire, incarcerated in the prison of longing expectation, to whom there canbe no liberation but by enjoying an interview, even were it with the phantom of the object of his hope; for he is enduring a painful torment from the separation of his beloved.—Then his tears flowed, and he wrote these two verses:—
I write unto thee with my tears flowing, and the drops from my eyes descending incessantly;But I am not despairing of the favour of my Lord: perhaps some day our union may take place.
I write unto thee with my tears flowing, and the drops from my eyes descending incessantly;But I am not despairing of the favour of my Lord: perhaps some day our union may take place.
He then folded the letter, and sealed it, and gave it to the old woman, saying, Convey it to the lady Dunyà. She replied, I hear and obey. And he gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and said, Receive this as a present from me. So the old woman took it and departed, praying for him.
She stopped not until she went in to the lady Dunyà, who, when she beheld her, said to her, O my nurse, what hath he demanded that we should do for him?—O my mistress, she answered, he hath sent with me a letter, and I know not its contents. And she handed the letter to her. So the lady Dunyà took it and read it, and understood its meaning, and exclaimed, Whence is he, and to what doth he aspire, that this merchant openeth a correspondence with me? Then slapping her face, she said, Were it not for my fear of God (whose name be exalted!) I would crucify him upon his shop. So the old woman said to her, What is in this letter, that it hath disturbed thy heart? Doth it contain a complaint of oppression, or a demand for the price of the stuff?—Wo to thee! she answered: it containeth not that, nor anything but love and affection; and all this is through thee. Or, if not, how should this devil presume to employ these words?—O my mistress, replied the old woman, thou art residing in thy lofty palace, and no one can obtain access to thee; not even the flying bird. Allah preserve thee from blame and censure! Thou hast nothing to fear from the barking of dogs. Be not angry with me for my bringing thee this letter when I knew not its contents: but it is my opinion that thou shouldst return him an answer, and threaten him in it with slaughter, and forbid him from employing these vain words; for he will abstain, and not do so again.—The lady Dunyà said, I fear to write to him, lest he covet me more. But the old woman replied, When he heareth the threatening, and promise of punishment, he will desist from his present conduct. So she said, Bring me an inkhorn and paper, and a pen of brass. And when they had brought them to her, she wrote these verses:—
O pretender to love and affliction and sleeplessness, and feelings of rapturous passion, and anxiety!Dost thou seek for a meeting, O deceived, from a moon? Doth any attain from a moon his wish?I advise thine abstaining from thy desire: forbear then; for thou art exposed to peril.If thou again make use of these words, I will visit thee with a punishment of the utmost severity.By Him who created mankind of clotted blood,60and who gave light to the sun and the moon!If thou repeat the proposal thou hast made, I will assuredly crucify thee on the trunk of a tree.
O pretender to love and affliction and sleeplessness, and feelings of rapturous passion, and anxiety!Dost thou seek for a meeting, O deceived, from a moon? Doth any attain from a moon his wish?I advise thine abstaining from thy desire: forbear then; for thou art exposed to peril.If thou again make use of these words, I will visit thee with a punishment of the utmost severity.By Him who created mankind of clotted blood,60and who gave light to the sun and the moon!If thou repeat the proposal thou hast made, I will assuredly crucify thee on the trunk of a tree.
The Lady Dunyà writing
She then folded up the letter, and gave it to the old woman, saying to her, Deliver it to him, and say to him, Abstain from these words. And she replied, I hear and obey.
She took the letter, full of joy,61and went with it to her house, where she passed the night; and in the morning she repaired to the shop of Táj-el-Mulook, whom she found expecting her. As soon as he beheld her, he almost flew with joy, and when she drew near to him he rose to her, standing upon his feet, and seated her by his side; and she took forth the letter, and handed it to him, saying, Read its contents. She then said to him, The lady Dunyà, when she read thy letter, was enraged; but I coaxed her and jested with her until I made her laugh, and she was moved with pity for thee, and returned thee an answer. So Táj-el-Mulook thanked her for this, and, having ordered 'Azeez to give her a thousand pieces of gold, read the letter, and understood it; and he wept violently, so that the heart of the old woman was moved with compassion for him, and his weeping and complaining grieved her. She said to him, O my son, and what is inthis paper, that it hath made thee weep? He answered, She threateneth me with slaughter and crucifixion, and forbiddeth my writing to her; but if I write not to her, my death will be preferable to my life; therefore take a reply to her letter, and let her do what she will.—By thy youth, replied the old woman, I must risk my life for thee, and enable thee to attain thy desire, and accomplish for thee that which is in thy heart. And Táj-el-Mulook said, Whatsoever thou dost I will requite thee for it; and it shall be determined by thee; for thou art experienced in the management of affairs, and skilled in the modes of intrigue, and everything that is difficult becometh easy to thee; and God is able to accomplish all things. So he took a paper, and wrote in it these verses:—
She threatened me with slaughter. O my bereavement! Slaughter would be ease to me, and death is decreed.Death is better than life prolonged to the love-smitten who is debarred from enjoyment and treated with oppression.By Allah, visit a helpless lover; for I am your slave, and the slave is in captivity.O my mistress, have mercy on me for my passion; for every one who loveth the virtuous is excusable.
She threatened me with slaughter. O my bereavement! Slaughter would be ease to me, and death is decreed.Death is better than life prolonged to the love-smitten who is debarred from enjoyment and treated with oppression.By Allah, visit a helpless lover; for I am your slave, and the slave is in captivity.O my mistress, have mercy on me for my passion; for every one who loveth the virtuous is excusable.
Having done this, he sighed heavily, and wept until the old woman wept with him; after which she took the letter from him, and said to him, Be happy and cheerful; for I must accomplish for thee thy wish.
She then arose, and left him as though he were upon the fire, and repaired to the lady Dunyà, whom she found with a countenance changed by her anger in consequence of the former epistle of Táj-el-Mulook; and she handed her the second letter; whereupon her rage increased, and she said to the old woman, Did I not tell thee that he would covet us more?—And what is this dog, said the old woman, that he should aspire to thee? The lady Dunyà replied, Go to him, and say to him, If thou write to her again she will strike off thy head. But the old woman said, Do thou write this to him in a letter, and I will take it with me, that his fear may be the greater. So she took a paper, and wrote in it the following verses:—
O thou who art heedless of the course of misfortunes, and who canst not accomplish thy desired union!Dost thou think, O deceived, to attain to Es-Suhà,62when thou canst not reach to the shining moon?How then dost thou venture to hope for our union, and to hold in thine embrace my javelin-like form?Quit, therefore, this project, in fear of my assault on a day of adversity when hair shall become gray,
O thou who art heedless of the course of misfortunes, and who canst not accomplish thy desired union!Dost thou think, O deceived, to attain to Es-Suhà,62when thou canst not reach to the shining moon?How then dost thou venture to hope for our union, and to hold in thine embrace my javelin-like form?Quit, therefore, this project, in fear of my assault on a day of adversity when hair shall become gray,
Having folded this letter, she handed it to the old woman, who took it and repaired with it to Táj-el-Mulook. At the sight of her he rose, and said, May God never deprive me of the blessing of thy coming! And the old woman replied, Receive the answer to thy letter. So he took the paper and read it, and wept violently, and said, I desire now some one to kill me; for slaughter would be easier to me than this my present state of suffering. He then took an inkhorn and a pen and paper, and wrote a letter expressed in these two verses:—