第34章 STORY OF ALI BEN BEKKAR AND SHEMSENNEHAR.(14)

And we were perplexed for an answer；but I said，Those ye saw with us are rogues： we know them not. As for us，we are singers，whom they would have taken to sing to them，nor could we win free of them，save by subtlety and fair words，and they have but now left us.'They looked at Ali and Shemsennehar and said to me，Thou hast not spoken sooth；but if thy tale be true，tell us who you are and whence you come and in what quarter you dwell.'I knew not what to answer，but Shemsennehar sprang up and approaching the captain of the troop，spoke with him privily，whereupon he dismounted and setting her on his steed，began to lead it along by the bridle. Two of his men did the like with Ali ben Bekkar and myself，and they fared on with us，till they reached a certain part of the river-bank，when the captain sang out in jargon and there came to us a number of men with two boats. The captain embarked with Shemsennehar in one boat and went his way，whilst the rest of his men put off in the other，with Ali ben Bekkar and myself，and rowed on with us，we the while enduring the agonies of death for excess of fear，till they came to a place whence there was a way to our quarter. Here we landed and walked on，escorted by some of the horsemen，till we came to Ali ben Bekkars house，where they took leave of us and went their way. We entered the house and abode there，unable to stir and knowing not night from day，till nightfall of the next day，when I came to myself and saw Ali ben Bekkar stretched out without sense or motion，and the men and women of his household weeping over him. When they saw that I had recovered my senses，some of them came to me and helping me sit up，said to me，Tell us what hath befallen our son and how he came in this plight.'O folk，'answered I，hearken to me and importune me not；but be patient and he will come to himself and tell you his story for himself.'And I was round with them and made them afraid of a scandal between us；but as we were thus，behold，Ali ben Bekkar moved in his bed，whereat his friends rejoiced and the [most part of the] folk withdrew from him；but his people forbade me to go away. Then they sprinkled rose-water on his face，and he presently revived and breathed the air，whereupon they questioned him of his case. He essayed to answer them，but could not speak forthright and signed to them to let me go home. So they let me go，and I returned to my own house，supported by two men and hardly crediting my escape. When my people saw me thus，they fell a-shrieking and buffeting their faces；but I signed to them to hold their peace，and they were silent. Then the two men went their way and I threw myself down on my bed，where I lay the rest of the night and awoke not till the forenoon，when I found my people collected round me and they said，What hath befallen thee and what （evil） hath smitten thee with its mischief？Quoth I，Bring me to drink.'So they brought me wine，and I drank what I would and said to them，Wine got the better of me and it was this caused the state in which ye saw me Then they went away，and I made my excuses to my friends and asked if any of the goods that had been stolen from my other house had been returned.'