第30章 STORY OF ALI BEN BEKKAR AND SHEMSENNEHAR.(10)

Then she told him the whole story，adding，God is witness to what I say.'Thou hast spoken truly，'said the jeweller，for I am acquainted with the root of the matter.'Then he told her how he had come by Ali ben Bekkars secret and related to her all that had passed，whereat she rejoiced；and they agreed that she should carry the letter to Ali and return and tell the jeweller all that passed. Accordingly he gave her the letter and she took it and sealed it up as it was before，saying，My mistress Shemsennehar gave it to me sealed；and when he hath read it and given me the reply，I will bring it to thee.'Then she repaired to Ali ben Bekkar，whom she found waiting，and gave him the letter. He read it and writing an answer，gave it to the damsel.

She carried it to the jeweller，who broke the seal and read what was written therein，as follows：

Neglected are our messages，for lo，our go-between，That wont to keep our counsel erst，is wroth with us，I ween.

So choose us out a messenger，a true and trusty wight，Yea，one of whom fidelity，not falsehood，is well seen.

To proceed： Verily，I have not entered upon perfidy nor left fidelity；I have not used cruelty，neither have I put off loyalty nor broken faith. I have not ceased from affection nor severed myself from grief；neither have I found aught after separation but misery and ruin. I know nothing of that thou avouchest nor do I love aught but that which thou lovest. By Him who knoweth the secret of the hidden things，I have no desire but to be united with her whom I love and my one business is the concealment of my passion，though sickness consume me. This is the exposition of my case and peace be on thee.'When the jeweller read this letter，he wept sore and the girl said to him，Leave not this place，till I return to thee；for he suspects me of such and such things，in which he is excusable；so it is my desire to bring thee in company with my mistress Shemsennehar，howsoever I may contrive it. I left her prostrate，awaiting my return with the answer.'Then she went away and the jeweller passed the night in a state of agitation. On the morrow he prayed the morning prayer and sat awaiting the girls coming. Presently she came in to him，rejoicing，and he said to her，What news，O damsel？Quoth she，I gave my mistress Ali ben Bekkars reply，and when she read it，she was troubled in her mind；but I said to her，'O my lady，have no fear of the hindrance of your affair by reason of Aboulhusns absence，for I have found one to take his place，better than he and more of worth and apt to keep secrets.'Then I told her what was between Aboulhusn and thyself and how thou camest by his confidence and that of Ali ben Bekkar and how I met with thee and showed her how matters stood betwixt thee and me. Now she is minded to have speech of thee，that she may be assured by thy words of the covenants between thee and him；so do thou make ready to go with me to her forthwith. When the jeweller heard the girls words，he saw that what she proposed was a grave matter and a great peril，not lightly to be undertaken or entered upon，and said to her，O my stster，verily，I am of the common people and not like unto Aboulhusn；for he was of high rank and repute and was wont to frequent the Khalifs household，because of their need of his wares. As for me，he used to talk with me，and I trembled before him the while. So，if thy mistress would have speech of me，it must be in some place other than the Khalifs palace and far from the abode of the Commander of the Faithful；for my reason will not let me do what thou proposest.'

Accordingly，he refused to go with her，and she went on to assure him of impunity，saying，Fear not，'and pressed him，till he consented to accompany her；but，when he would have risen，his legs bent under him and his hands trembled and he exclaimed，God forbid that I should go with thee！Indeed，I cannot do this.'

Reassure thyself，'answered she；if it irk thee to go to the Khalifs palace and thou canst not muster up courage to accompany me，I will make her come to thee；so stir not from thy place till I return to thee with her.'Then she went away and returning after a little，said to the jeweller，Look that there be with thee neither slave-girl nor man-slave nor any other.'Quoth he，I have but an old negress-slave，who waits on me.'So she locked the door between the jeweller and his negress and sent his man-servants out of the house，after which she went out and presently returned，followed by a lady，who filled the house with the sweet scent of her perfumes. When the jeweller saw her，he sprang to his feet and set her a couch and a cushion，and she sat down. He seated himself before her and she abode awhile without speaking，till she was rested，when she unveiled her face and it seemed to the jeweller as if the sun had risen in his house. Then said she to her slave-girl，Is this the man of whom thou spakest to me？Yes，'answered she；whereupon the lady turned to the jeweller and said to him，How is it with thee？Well，'replied he. May God preserve thy life and that of the Commander of the Faithful！'Quoth she，Thou hast moved us to come to thee and possess thee with our secret.'Then she questioned him of his household and family；and he discovered to her all his circumstance and said to her，I have another house，which I have set apart for entertaining my friends and brethren，and there is none there save the old negress，of whom I spoke to thy handmaid.'

She asked him how he came first to know of the matter and what had made Aboulhusn absent himself，so he told her all and she bewailed the loss of Aboulhusn and said to the jeweller，Know that the minds of men are at one in desires，and however they may differ in estate，men are still men and have need one of the other： an affair is not accomplished without speech nor is a wish fulfilled save by endeavour： ease comes not but after weariness nor is succour compassed save by the help of the generous. Now I have trusted my secret to thee and it is in thy power to expose or shield us；I say no more，because of thy generosity of nature.