第98章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(20)

O my lord，'replied he'I only seek to bring thee in company with these pleasant folkamongst whom there is neither meddlesomeness nor excess of talk；for neversince I came to years of discretion，could I endure to consort with those who ask of what concerns them notnor with any except those who arelike myselfmen of few words. Verilyif thou wert once to see them and company with themthou wouldst forsake all thy friends.'God fulfil thy gladness with them！'rejoined I. 'Needs must I foregather with them one of these days.'And he said'I would it were to be to-dayfor I had made up my mind that thou shouldst make one of us： but if thou must indeed go to thy friends to-dayI will take the good thingswith which thy bounty hath provided me for them，to my guestsand leave them to eat and drinkwithout waiting for mewhilst I return to thee in haste and accompany thee whither thou goest；for there is no ceremony between me and my friends to hinder me from leaving them.'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most Highthe Supreme！'cried I. 'Go thou to thy friends and make merry with them and let me go to mine and be with them this dayfor they expect me.'I will not let thee go alone，'replied he： and I said'None can enter where I am going but myself.'Then said he'I believe thou hast an assignation with some woman to-day；else thou wouldst take me with theefor it is the like of me that furnishes a merry-making；or if thou go to any one with whom thou wouldst be privateI am the fittest of all men for thy purposefor I would help thee to what thou desirest and look that none saw thee. I fear lest thou go in to some strange woman and lose thy life；for in this city one cannot do aught of the kindespecially on a day like this and under so keen and masterful a chief of the police as ours of Baghdad.'Out on theeO wretched old man！'cried I.

'Avaunt！what words are these thou givest me？'O dolt！'rejoined he'thou sayest to me what is not true and hidest thy mind from me；but I know that this is so and am certain of itand I only seek to help thee this day.'I was fearful lest my people or the neighbours should hear the barber's talkso kept silencewhilst he finished shaving my head；by which time the hour of prayer was come and it was wellnigh time for the exhortation. When he had doneI said to him'Take the meat and drink and carry them to thy friends. I will await thy return.'For I thought it best to dissemble with the accursed fellow and feign compliance with his wishesso haply he might go away and leave me. Quoth he，'Thou art deceiving me and wilt go alone and cast thyself into some perilfrom which there will be no escape for thee. For God's sakedo not go till I returnthat I may accompany thee and see what comes of thine affair.'It is well，'answered I：

'do not be long absent.'Then he took all that I had given him and went out；butinstead of going home with itthe cursed fellow delivered it to a porterto carry to his houseand hid himself in a by-street. As for meI rose at oncefor the Muezzins had already chanted the Salutationanddressing myself in hastewent out and hurried to the house where I had seen the young lady. I found the old woman standing at the door，awaiting meand went up with her to the young lady's apartment.

Hardly had I done sowhen the master of the house returned from the mosque and entering the saloonshut the door. I looked out from the window and saw this barber （God's malison on him！）

sitting over against the doorand said'How did this devil find me out？'At this momentas God had decreed it for my undoingit befell that a slave-girl belonging to the master of the house committed some offencefor which he beat her. She cried outand a male slave came in to deliver herwhereupon the Cadi beat him alsoand he too cried out. The cursed barber concluded that it was I he was beating and fell to tearing his clothes and strewing dust on his headshrieking and calling for help. So the folk came round himand he said to them'My master is being murdered in the Cadi's house！'Then he ranshriekingto my housewith the folk after himand told my people and servants： and before I knew what was forwardup they camewith torn clothes and dishevelled haircalling out'Alasour master！'and the barber at their headin a fine pickletearing his clothes and shouting. They made for the house in which I washeaded by the barbercrying out'Woe is us for our murdered master！'And the Cadihearing the uproar at his doorsaid to one of his servants'Go and see what is the matter.'The man went out and came backsaying'O my lordthere are more than ten thousand men and women at the doorcrying out'Woe is us for our murdered master！'and pointing to our house.'When the Cadi heard thishe was troubled and vexed；so he went to the door and opening itsaw a great concourse of people；whereat he was amazed and said'O folkwhat is the matter？'O accursed oneO dogO hog，'replied my servants'thou hast killed our master！'

Quoth he'And what has your master done to me that I should kill him？ Beholdthis my house is open to you！'Thou didst beat him but now with rods，'answered the barber；'for I heard his cries.'