第79章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(41)

When she read this，she had compassion upon him and said to Behram，Sell me this slave.'O my lady，'answered he，I cannot sell him，for he is the only slave I have left.'Quoth she，I must have him of thee，either by purchase or as a gift.'

But Behram said，I will neither sell him nor give him.'Whereat she was wroth and taking Asaad by the hand，carried him up to the palace and sent to Behram，saying，Except thou set sail and depart our city this very night，I will seize all thy goods and break up thy ship.'When the message reached the Magian，he was sore troubled and said，Verily，this voyage is every way unfortunate.'Then he made ready and took all he needed and awaited the coming of the night，to resume his voyage，saying to the sailors，Provide yourselves and fill the waterskins，that we may set sail at the last of the night.'So the sailors did their occasions and awaited the coming of the night.

To return to Queen Merjaneh.When she had brought Asaad into the palace，she opened the windows overlooking the sea and bade her handmaids bring food.Accordingly，they set food before Asaad and herself，and they ate，after which the queen called for wine and fell to drinking with him.Now God （may He be exalted and glorified！） filled her heart with love for Asaad and she plied him with wine，till his reason fled and presently he rose and left the hall，to do an occasion.Seeing a door open，he went out and walked on，till he came to a vast garden full of all manner fruits and flowers and sitting down under a tree，did his occasion.Then he went up to a fountain in the garden and made the ablution and washed his hands and face，after which he would have risen to go away；but the air smote him and he fell back，with his clothes undone，and slept，and night overcame him thus.

Meanwhile，Behram，the night being come，cried out to the sailors to spread sail and depart.'We hear and obey，'answered they；

but give us time to fill our water-skins.'Then they landed with their water-skins and coasting the palace，found nothing but walls： so they climbed over into the garden and followed the track of feet，that led them to the fountain，where they found Asaad lying on his back，asleep.They knew him and taking him up，climbed the wall again with him，after they had filled their skins，and carried him back in haste to Behram，to whom said they，Beat thy drums and sound thy pipes；for we have found thy prisoner，whom Queen Merjaneh took from thee by force，and have brought him back to thee.'And they threw Asaad down before him. When Behram saw him，his heart leapt for joy and his breast dilated with gladness.Then he bestowed largesse on the sailors and bade them weigh anchor in haste.So they set sail forthright，intending for the Mountain of Fire，and stayed not their course till the morning.

As for Queen Merjaneh，she abode awhile，awaiting Asaads return；

and when she saw that he came not，she rose and sought him，but found no trace of him.Then she bade her women light flambeaux and search for him，whilst she herself went forth and seeing the garden-door open，knew that he had gone thither.So she went out and finding his slippers lying by the fountain，searched the garden in every part，but found no sign of him.Nevertheless，she gave not over the search till morning，when she enquired for the Magians ship and was told that it had set sail in the first watch of the night；wherefore she knew that they had taken Asaad with them and this was grievous to her and she was angry.So she bade equip ten great ships forthwith and arming herself，embarked in one of them，with her guards and women and troops，richly accoutred and armed for war.They spread the sails and she said to the captain，If you overtake the Magians ship，ye shall have of me dresses of honour and largesse；but if ye let it escape，I will kill you all.'Whereat fear and great hope fell upon the seamen，and they sailed three days and nights，till，on the fourth day，they sighted Behrams ship.Ere ended day，they came up with it and surrounded it on all sides，even as Behram had taken Asaad forth of the chest and was beating and torturing him，whilst the prince cried out for succour and relief，but found neither helper nor deliverer；and indeed he was sorely tormented with much beating.Presently Behram chanced to look up and seeing himself encompassed by the queens ships，as the white of the eye encompasses the black，gave himself up for lost and groaned and said to Asaad，Out on thee，O Asaad！This is all thy doing；but，by Allah，I will kill thee ere I die myself.'

Then he bade the sailors throw him overboard；so they took him by the hands and feet and cast him into the sea and he sank.But God （may He be exalted and glorified！） willed that his life should be saved and that his last day should be deferred；so He caused him to rise again and he struck out with his hands and feet，till the Almighty gave him ease and relief and the waves bore him far from the Magians ship and threw him ashore.He landed，scarce crediting his escape，and putting off his clothes，wrung them and spread them out to dry，whilst he sat，naked and weeping over his misfortunes and desolate and forlorn condition and repeating the following verses：

My fortitude fails me for travail and pain；My patience is spent，my endeavour in vain；

My sinews are sundered；O Lord of all lords，To whom but his Lord shall the wretched complain？

Then，rising，he donned his clothes and set out at a venture，knowing not whither he went.He fared on day and night，eating of the herbs of the earth and the fruits of the trees and drinking of the streams，till he came in sight of a city；

whereupon he rejoiced and hurried on；but before he reached it，the night overtook him and the gates were shut.Now，as chance would have it，this was the very city in which he had been a prisoner and to whose king his brother Amjed was vizier. When he saw the gate was shut，he turned back and made for the burial-ground，where finding a tomb without a door，he entered and lay down and fell asleep，with his face in his sleeve.