第84章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(46)

Now Nimehs father was one of the chief men of Cufa；so he went to the palace of the governor，whose chamberlain went in to him and told him what was to do.El Hejjaj bade admit him and enquired his business.Quoth Nimeh，'Such and such things have befallen me.'And the governor said，'Bring me the chief of the police，and we will bid him seek for the old woman.'Now he knew that the chief of the police knew her；so，when he came，he said to him，'I wish thee to make search for the slave-girl of Nimeh ben er Rebya.'And he answered，'None knoweth the hidden things save God the Most High.'Thou must send out horsemen，'rejoined El Hejjaj，'and look for the damsel in all the roads and towns.'

Then he turned to Nimeh and said to him，'An thy slave-girl return not，I will give thee ten slave-girls from my house and ten from that of the chief of the police.'And he said to the latter，'Go and seek for the girl.'So he went out and Nimeh returned home，full of trouble and despairing of life.He had now reached the age of fourteen and there was yet no hair on his cheeks.He shut himself up from his household and ceased not to weep and lament，he and his mother，till the morning，when his father came in to him and said，'O my son，El Hejjaj hath put a cheat on the damsel and stolen her away；but from hour to hour God giveth relief.'But grief redoubled on Nimeh，so that he knew not what he said nor who came in to him，and indeed his charms were changed and he was in sorry case.In this plight he abode three months，till his father despaired of him，and the physicians visited him and said，'There is no cure for him but the damsel.'One day，Er Rebya heard tell of a skilful Persian physician，whom the folk gave out for accomplished in medicine and astrology and geomancy.So he sent for him and seating him by his side，entreated him with honour and said to him，'Look into my sons case.'So he said to Nimeh，'Give me thy hand.'

Accordingly，the young man gave him his hand and he felt his pulse and his joints and looked in his face；then he laughed and turning to Er Rebya，said，'Thy sons only ailment is in his heart.'Thou sayst sooth，O sage，'answered Er Rebya；'but apply thy skill to the consideration of his state and case and acquaint me with the whole thereof and hide nought from me.'

Quoth the Persian，'He is enamoured of a girl，who is either in Bassora or Damascus；and there is no cure for him but reunion with her.'An thou bring them together，'said Er Rebya，'thou shalt have of me what will rejoice thee and shalt live all thy life in wealth and delight.'This is an easy matter，'answered the Persian，'and soon brought about；' and he turned to Nimeh and said to him，'Fear not；no hurt shall befall thee；so take heart and be of good cheer.'Then said he to Er Rebya，'Give me four thousand dinars of your money.'So he gave them to him，and he said，'I wish to carry thy son with me to Damascus，and God willing，we will not return thence but with the damsel.'Then said he to the youth，'What is thy name？'And he answered，'Nimeh.'O Nimeh，'said the Persian，'sit up and be of good heart，for God will reunite thee with the damsel.So put thy trust in Him and eat and drink and be cheerful and fortify thyself for travel，for we set out for Damascus this very day.'