书城公版Volume Three
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第109章 ALAEDDIN ABOU ESH SHAMAT.(19)

But,O my lord,didst thou ever recover the lantern that was stolen from thee?No,'answered the Khalif,we never got it back.'And Aslan said,I saw it in the hands of Ahmed Kemakim and begged it of him;but he refused to give it me,saying,'Lives have been lost on account of this.'Then he told me of the sickness of Hebezlem Bezazeh,son of the Amir Khalid,by reason of his passion for the damsel Jessamine,and how he himself was released from prison and that it was he who stole the lamp and robe and so forth. Do thou then,O Commander of the Faithful,avenge me of my father on him who murdered him.'So the Khalif caused Ahmed Kemakim to be brought before him and sending for Ahmed ed Denef,bade him search him;whereupon he put his hand into the thiefs bosom and pulled out the lamp. Harkye,traitor,'said the Khalif,whence hadst thou this lantern?And Kemakim replied,I bought it,O Commander of the Faithful!'

Where didst thou buy it?said the Khalif,and who could come by its like to sell it to thee?Then they beat him,till he confessed that he had stolen the lantern and the rest,and the Khalif said,O traitor,what moved thee to do this thing and ruin Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat,the Trusty and Well-beloved?Then he bade lay hands on him and on the Chief of the Police,but the latter said,O Commander of the Faithful,indeed I am unjustly entreated;thou badest me hang him,and I had no knowledge of this plot,for the thing was contrived between Ahmed Kemakim and his mother and my wife. I crave thine intercession,O Aslan.'So Aslan interceded for him with the Khalif,who said,What hath God done with this lads mother?She is with me,'answered Khalid,and the Khalif said,I command thee to bid thy wife dress her in her own clothes and ornaments and restore her to her former rank;and do thou remove the seals from Alaeddins house and give his son possession of his estate.'I hear and obey,answered Khalid,and going forth,carried the Khalifs order to his wife,who clad Jessamine in her own apparel;whilst he himself removed the seals from Alaeddins house and gave Aslan the keys. Then said the Khalif to Aslan,Ask a boon of me;and he replied,I beseech thee to unite me with my father.'Whereat the Khalif wept and said,Most like it was thy father that was hanged and is dead;but by the life of my forefathers,whoso bringeth me the glad news that he is yet in the bonds of life,I will give him all he seeketh!'Then came forward Ahmed ed Denef and kissing the earth before the Khalif,said,Grant me indemnity,O Commander of the Faithful!'Thou hast it,'answered the Khalif;and Ed Denef said,I give thee the good news that Alaeddin is alive and well.'Quo the Khalif,What is this thou sayest?As thy head liveth,'answered Ed Denef,I speak sooth;

for I ransomed him with another,of those who deserved death,and carried him to Alexandria,where I set him up as a dealer in second-hand goods.'Then said Er Reshid,I charge thee fetch him to me;and Ed Denef replied,I hear and obey;whereupon the Khalif bade give him ten thousand dinars and he set out for Alexandria.

Meanwhile Alaeddin sold all that was in his shop,till he had but a few things let and amongst the rest a bag. So he shook the bag and there fell out a jewel,big enough to fill the palm of the hand,hanging to a chain of gold and having five faces,whereon were names and talismanic characters,as they were ant-tracks.

God is All-knowing!'quoth he. Belike this is a talisman.'So he rubbed each face;but nothing came of it and he said to himself,Doubtless it is a piece of [naturally] variegated onyx,'and hung it up in the shop. Presently,a Frank passed along the street and seeing the jewel hanging up,seated himself before the shop and said to Alaeddin,O my lord,is yonder jewel for sale?All I have is for sale,'answered Alaeddin;and the Frank said,Wilt thou sell it me for fourscore thousand dinars?

May God open!'[116] replied Alaeddin. Wilt thou sell it for a hundred thousand dinars?asked the Frank,and he answered,I sell it to thee for a hundred thousand dinars;pay me down the money.'Quoth the Frank,I cannot carry such a sum about me,for there are thieves and sharpers in Alexandria;but come with me to my ship and I will pay thee the money and give thee to boot a bale of Angora wool,a bale of satin,a bale of velvet and a bale of broadcloth.'So Alaeddin rose and giving the jewel to the Frank,locked up his shop and committed the keys to his neighbour,saying,Keep these keys for me,whilst I go with this Frank to his ship and take the price of my jewel. If I be long absent and there come to thee Captain Ahmed ed Denef,--he who set me up in this shop,--give him the keys and tell him where I am.'

Then he went with the Frank to his ship,where the latter set him a stool and making him sit down,said [to his men],Bring the money.'So [they brought it and] he paid him the price of the jewel and gave him the four bales he had promised him;after which he said to him,O my lord,honour me by taking a morsel or a draught of water.'And Alaeddin answered,If thou have any water,give me to drink.'So the Frank called for drink,and they brought sherbets,drugged with henbane,of which no sooner had Alaeddin drunk,than he fell over on his back;whereupon they weighed anchor and shoving off,shipped the poles and made sail.