Thousand & One Nights:195th Night: The Wealthy Man & The Slave Girl-25

The following morning Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the girl said to the jeweler:

When I saw Shams al-Nahar, I was rejoiced in her safety and went to help her.  She bade me give the man who had brought her, a thousand dinars. I thanked him and gave him the very purse that I had brought you and you had refused to take.  When he departed I locked the gate.  With the help of two maid servants Shams al-Nahar was carried to the house; she lay as if dead because of exhaustion, stress and sleeplessness.  We laid her on the bed.  She slept the rest of that night and the following day, and I bade the servants not to disturb her 

On the following day she awoke, as if she had risen from the dead.  I sprinkled on her face, rose water  scented with musk, washed her hands and feet, and changed her clothes.  I offered her some wine, which brought her some energy.  And I persuaded her to have some food.  As she regained energy I remonstrated with her and said, "You have suffered enough, and you have been close to death."
She reciprocated, "Death would have been easier, than what I have suffered.  I was sure that I was going to be killed, and I gave myself up for lost.  When the robbers took us from Jeweler's house, they asked me who I was.  I said that I was a singing girl.  The question was repeated to my beloved.  He replied that he was one of the common people. Then they took us to their place.  It was nothing but fear that gave us strength to walk with them.

At their place, they looked at me and my jewellery.  They did not believe me and said that no singing girl could have such jewellery and asked me to tell them the truth.  When I repeated my previous answer, they turned to Ali ibn Bakkar.  "Your attire is not that of common man," they said.  They asked him who he really is. He remained silent.  Then they asked us to tell who is the owner of the house.  We replied that he is so and so. One of them said that he knew the owner and where he lives.  Then they agreed to set me in one room and my partner in another. Their chief asked us to take rest without any fear. They left, saying that they would find out who we are and come back. They assured that our lives and possessions are safe.

Then their comrade went out and bought that man(meaning you) and when he revealed to them who we were, they apologized and went out at once and, bringing a boat, put us in it and rowed us to the other side. There the captain of the night patrol fell upon us, and they motioned him aside and said to him that I was so and so and I had had too much to drink and had gone to visit some lady friends of mine, when these men with whom I met, these two gentlemen, came by and brought us all here.  Then I added that I had the wherewithal to reward  him, and he dismounted and placed me on his horse and bade his men do the same with Ali ibn-Bakkar or the jeweler.  My heart is on fire for them, especially for the jeweler, who had lost his goods."
My mistress was very sympathetic to the jeweler and she said to me,"Take some money and go to him and inquire about Ali ibn Bakkar." 

I chided her and warned her to be careful.  "Fear God, and give up this intrigue, and instead console yourself with patience."  But she was angry at my words and yelled at me.  So I left her and, going out to look for you, came to your house ---I did not dare to go to Ali ibn Bakkar.  Now I stand here to serve you; please accept the money, for your need is evident, since you must compensate your friends for their loss."

The jeweler related later:

I rose and walked out with her until we came to a certain place and she said, "Wait here, until I come back."

But morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.



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