第30章

al-Ruwaysh，[112] son of Bilkis，daughter of Mu'in，for he is my Shaykh and my teacher，and all，men and Jinn，humble themselves to him and stand in awe of him.And now go with the blessing of God.'Hasan forthright set out giving the horse the rein，and it flew off with him swiftlier than lightning，and stayed not in its course ten days，when he saw before him a vast loom black as night，walling the world from East to West.As he neared it，the stallion neighed under him，whereupon there flocked to it horses in number as the drops of rain，none could tell their tale or against them prevail，and fell to rubbing themselves against it.Hasan was affrighted at them and fared forwards surrounded by the horses，without drawing rein till he came to the cavern which Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus had described to him.The steed stood still at the door and Hasan alighted and bridged the bridle over the saddle-bow[113]；whereupon the steed entered the cavern，whilst the rider abode without，as the old man had charged him，pondering the issue of his case in perplexity and distraction and unknowing what would befal him.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Second Night； She pursued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Hasan；dismounting from the steed，stood at the cavern-mouth pondering the issue of his case and unknowing what might befal him.He abode standing on the same spot five days with their nights；sleepless，mournful，tearful-eyed；distracted，perplexed；pondering his severance from home and family，comrades and friends，with weeping eye-lids and heavy heart.Then he bethought him of his mother and of what might yet happen to him and of his separation from his wife and children and of all that he had suffered，and he recited these couplets；'With you is my heart-cure a heart that goes；* And from hill-foot of eyelids the tear-rill flows：

And parting and sorrow and exile and dole * And farness from country and throe that o'erthrows：

Naught am I save a lover distracted by love，* Far parted from loved one and wilted by woes.

And'tis Love that hath brought me such sorrow，say where * Is the noble of soul who such sorrow unknows？'

Hardly had Hasan made an end of his verses，when out came the Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh，a blackamoor and clad in black raiment；and at first sight he knew him by the deion that Abd al-Kaddus had given him.He threw himself at his feet and rubbed his cheeks on them and seizing his skirt，laid it on his head and wept before him.Quoth the old man，'What wantest thou，O my son？'Whereupon he put out his hand to him with the letter，and Abu al-Ruwaysh took it and reentered the cavern，without making him any answer.So Hasan sat down at the cave-mouth in his place other five days as he had been bidden，whilst concern grew upon him and terror redoubled on him and restlessness gat hold of him；and he fell to weeping and bemoaning himself for the anguish of estrangement and much watching.And he recited these couplets；'Glory to Him who guides the skies！ * The lover sore in sorrow lies.

Who hath not tasted of Love's food * Knows not what mean its miseries.

Did I attempt to stem my tears * Rivers of blood would fount and rise.

How many an intimate is hard * Of heart，and pains in sorest wise！

An she with me her word would keep，* Of tears and sighs I'd fain devise；But I'm forgone，rejected quite * Ruin on me hath cast her eyes.

At my fell pangs fell wildlings weep * And not a bird for me but cries.'

Hasan ceased not to weep till dawn of the sixth day，when Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh came forth to him，clad in white raiment，and with his hand signed[114] to him to enter.So he went in；rejoicing and assured of the winning of his wish，and the old man took him by the hand and leading him into the cavern，fared on with him half a day's journey，till they reached an arched doorway with a door of steel.The Shaykh opened the door and they two entered a vestibule vaulted with onyx stones and arabesqued with gold，and they stayed not walking till they came to a great hall and a wide，paved and walled with marble.In its midst was a flower-garden containing all manner trees and flowers and fruits，with birds warbling on the boughs and singing the praises of Allah the Almighty Sovran；and there were four daises；each facing other，and in each dais a jetting fountain，at whose corners stood lions of red gold，spouting gerbes from their mouths into the basin.On each dais stood a chair，whereon sat an elder，with exceeding store of books before him[115] and censers of gold，containing fire and perfumes，and before each elder were students，who read the books to him.Now when the twain entered，the elders rose to them and did them honour；

whereupon Abu al-Ruwaysh signed to them to dismiss their scholars and they did so.Then the four arose and seating themselves before that Shaykh，asked him of the case of Hasan to whom he said，'Tell the company thy tale and all that hath betided thee from the beginning of thine adventure to the end.'So Hasan wept with sore weeping and related to them his story with Bahram；

whereupon all the Shaykhs cried out and said，'Is this indeed he whom the Magian caused to climb the Mountain of Clouds by means of the vultures，sewn up in the camel-hide？'And Hasan said；'Yes.' So they turned to the Shaykh，Abu al-Ruwaysh and said to him，'O our Shaykh，of a truth Bahram contrived his mounting to the mountaintop；but how came he down and what marvels saw he there？'And Abu al-Ruwaysh said，'O Hasan，tell them how thou camest down and acquaint them with what thou sawest of marvels.'