loud-wailing the while: "O my lady, may thy head live and mayst thou
survive Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a, for he is dead!" The Lady Zubaydah

mourned for him and said, "Alas, poor Abu al-Hasan the wag!" and she
shed tears for him awhile. Then she bade her treasuress give Nuzhat

al-Fuad a hundred dinars and a piece of silk and said to her, "O
Nuzhat al-Fuad, go, lay him out and carry him forth."

So she took the hundred dinars and the piece of silk and returned to
her dwelling, rejoicing, and went in to her spouse and acquainted

him what had befallen, whereupon he arose and rejoiced and girdled his
middle and danced and took the hundred dinars and the piece of silk

and laid them up. Then he laid out Nuzhat al-Fuad and did with her
as she had done with him, after which he rent his raiment and

plucked out his beard and disordered his turban and ran out, nor
ceased running till he came in to the Caliph, who was sitting in the

judgment hall, and he in this plight, beating his breast. The Caliph
asked him, "What aileth thee, O Abu al-Hasan?" and he wept and

answered, "Would Heaven thy cup companion had never been, and would
his hour had never come!" Quoth the Caliph, "Tell me thy case," and

quoth Abu al-Hasan, "O my lord, may thy head outlive Nuzhat
al-Fuad!" The Caliph exclaimed, "There is no god but God," and smote

hand upon hand. Then he comforted Abu al-Hasan and said to him,
"Grieve not, for we will bestow upon thee a bedfellow other than she."

And he ordered the treasurer to give him a hundred dinars and a piece
of silk. Accordingly the treasurer did what the Caliph bade him, and

Al-Rashid said to him, "Go, lay her out and carry her forth and make
her a handsome funeral."

So Abu al-Hasan took that which he had given him and returning to
his house, rejoicing, went in to Nuzhat al-Fuad and said to her,

"Arise, for our wish" is won." Hereat she arose and he laid before her
the hundred ducats and the piece of silk, whereat she rejoiced, and

they added the gold to the gold and the silk to the silk and sat
talking and laughing each to other.

Meanwhile, when Abu al-Hasan fared forth the presence of the
Caliph and went to lay out Nuzhat al-Fuad, the Commander of the

Faithful mourned for her, and dismissing the Divan, arose and betook
himself, leaning upon Masrur, the Sworder of his vengeance, to the

Lady Zubaydah, that he might condole with her for her handmaid. He
found her sitting weeping and awaiting his coming, so she might

condole with him for his boon companion Abu al-Hasan the wag. So he
said to her, "May thy head outlive thy slave girl Nuzhat al-Fuad!" and

said she: "O my lord, Allah preserve my slave girl! Mayst thou live
and long survive thy boon companion Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a, for he is

dead." The Caliph smiled and said to his eunuch: "O Masrur, verily
women are little of wit. Allah upon thee, say, was not Abu al-Hasan

with me but now?" Quoth the Lady Zubaydah, laughing from a heart
full of wrath: "Wilt thou not leave thy jesting? Sufficeth thee not

that Abu al-Hasan is dead, but thou must put to death my slave girl
also and bereave us of the twain, and style me little of wit?" The

Caliph answered, "Indeed, 'tis Nuzhat al-Fuad who is dead." And the
Lady Zubaydah said: "Indeed he hath not been with thee, nor hast

thou seen him, and none was with me but now save Nuzhat al-Fuad, and
she sorrowful, weeping, with her clothes torn to tatters. I exhorted

her to patience and gave her a hundred dinars and a piece of silk, and
indeed I was awaiting thy coming, so I might console thee for thy

cup companion Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a, and was about to send for
thee." The Caliph laughed and said, "None is dead save Nuzhat

al-Fuad," and she, "No, no, good my lord; none is dead but Abu
al-Hasan the wag."

With this the Caliph waxed wroth, and the hashimi vein started out
from between his eyes and throbbed, and he cried out to Masrur and

said to him, "Fare thee forth to the house of Abu al-Hasan the wag,
and see which of them is dead." So Masrur went out, running, and the

Caliph said to the Lady Zubaydah, "Wilt thou lay me a wager?" And said
she, "Yes, I will wager, and I say that Abu al-Hasan is dead."

Rejoined the Caliph: "And I wager and say that none is dead save
Nuzhat al-Fuad, and the stake between me and thee shall be the

Garden of Pleasaunce against thy palace and the Pavilion of Pictures."
So they agreed upon this and sat awaiting Masrur's return with the

news.
As for the eunuch, he ceased not running till he came to the

by-street wherein was the stead of Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a. Now the
wag was comfortably seated and leaning back against the lattice, and

chancing to look round, saw Masrur running along the street and said
to Nuzhat al-Fuad, "Meseemeth the Caliph, when I went forth from

him, dismissed the Divan and went in to the Lady Zubaydah to condole
with her, whereupon she arose and condoled with him, saying, 'Allah

increase thy recompense for the loss of Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a!'
And he said to her, 'None is dead save Nuzhat al-Fuad, may thy head

outlive her!' Quoth she, ''Tis not she who is dead, but Abu al-Hasan
al-Khali'a, thy boon companion.' And quoth he, 'None is dead save

Nuzhat al-Fuad.' And they waxed so obstinate that the Caliph became
wroth and they laid a wager, and he hath sent Masrur the Sworder to

see who is dead. Now, therefore, 'twere best that thou lie down, so he
may sight thee and go and acquaint the Caliph and confirm my saying."

So Nuzhat al-Fuad stretched herself out and Abu al-Hasan covered her
with her mantilla and sat weeping at her head. Presently, Masrur,

the eunuch, suddenly came in to him and saluted him, and seeing Nuzhat
al-Fuad stretched out, uncovered her face and said: "There is no god

but God! Our sister Nuzhat al-Fuad is dead indeed. How sudden was
the stroke of Destiny! Allah have ruth on thee and acquit thee of

all charge!" Then he returned and related what had passed before the
Caliph and the Lady Zubaydah, and he laughing as he spoke. "O accursed

one," cried the Caliph: "this is no time for laughter! Tell us which
is dead of them." Masrur replied: "By Allah, O my lord, Abu al-Hasan

is well, and none is dead but Nuzhat al-Fuad." Quoth the Caliph to
Zubaydah, "Thou hast lost thy pavilion in thy play," and he jeered

at her. and said, "O Masrur, tell her what thou sawest."
Quoth the eunuch: "Verily, O my lady, I ran without ceasing till I

came in to Abu al-Hasan in his house, and found Nuzhat al-Fuad lying
dead and Abu al-Hasan sitting tearful at her head. I saluted him and

condoled with him and sat down by his side and uncovered the face of
Nuzhat al-Fuad and saw her dead and her face swollen. So I said to

him, 'Carry her out forthwith, so we may pray over her.' He replied,
''Tis well,' and I left him to lay her out and came hither, that I

might tell you the news." The Prince of True Believers laughed and
said, "Tell it again and again to thy lady Little-wits." When the Lady

Zubaydah heard Masrur's words and those of the Caliph she was wroth
and said, "None is little of wit save he who believeth a black slave."

And she abused Masrur, whilst the Commander of the Faithful laughed;
and the eunuch, vexed at this, said to the Caliph, "He spake sooth who

said, 'Women are little of wits and lack religion."'
Then said the Lady Zubaydah to the Caliph: "O Commander of the

Faithful, thou sportest and jestest with me, and this slave
hoodwinketh me, the better to please thee. But I will send and see

which of them be dead." And he answered, saying, "Send one who shall
see which of them is dead." So the Lady Zubaydah cried out to an old

duenna, and said to her: "Hie thee to the house of Nuzhat al-Fuad in
haste and see who is dead, and loiter not." And she used hard words to

her. So the old woman went out running, whilst the Prince of True
Believers and Masrur laughed, and she ceased not running till she came

into the street. Abu al-Hasan saw her, and knowing her, said to his
wife: "O Nuzhat al-Fuad, meseemeth the Lady Zubaydah hath sent to us

to see who is dead and hath not given credit to Masrur's report of thy
death. Accordingly she hath dispatched the old crone, her duenna, to

discover the truth. So it behooveth me to be dead in my turn for the
sake of thy credit with the Lady Zubaydah."

Hereat he lay down and stretched himself out, and she covered him
and bound his eyes and feet and sat in tears at his head. Presently

the old woman came in to her and saw her sitting at Abu al-Hasan's
head, weeping and recounting his fine qualities; and when she saw

the old trot, she cried out and said to her: "See what hath befallen
me! Indeed Abu al-Hasan is dead and hath left me lone and lorn!"

Then she shrieked out and rent her raiment and said to the crone, "O
my mother, how very good he was to me!" Quoth the other, "Indeed

thou art excused, for thou wast used to him and he to thee."
Then she considered what Masrur had reported to the Caliph and the

Lady Zubaydah and said to her, "Indeed, Masrur goeth about to cast
discord between the Caliph and the Lady Zubaydah." Asked Nuzhat

al-Fuad, "And what is the cause of discord, O my mother?" and the
other replied: "O my daughter, Masrur came to the Caliph and the

Lady Zubaydah and gave them news of thee that thou wast dead and
that Abu al-Hasan was well." Nuzhat al-Fuad said to her: "O naunty

mine, I was with my lady just now and she gave me a hundred dinars and
a piece of silk, and now see my case and that which hath befallen

me! Indeed I am bewildered, and how shall I do, and I lone and lorn?
Would Heaven I had died and he had lived!" Then she wept and with

her wept the old woman, who, going up to Abu al-Hasan and uncovering
his face, saw his eyes bound and swollen for the swathing. So she

covered him again and said, "Indeed, O Nuzhat al-Fuad, thou art
afflicted in Abu al-Hasan!"

Then she condoled with her, and going out from her, ran along the
street till she came into the Lady Zubaydah and related to her the

story, and the Princess said to her, laughing: "Tell it over again
to the Caliph, who maketh me out little of wit, and lacking of

religion, and who made this ill-omened liar of a slave presume to
contradict me." Quoth Masrur, "This old woman lieth, for I saw Abu

al-Hasan well and Nuzhat al-Fuad it was who lay dead." Quoth the
duenna, "'Tis thou that liest, and wouldst fain cast discord-between

the Caliph and the Lady Zubaydah." And Masrur cried, "None lieth but
thou, O old woman of ill omen, and thy lady believeth thee, and she

must be in her dotage." Whereupon the Lady Zubaydah cried out at him,
and in very sooth she was enraged with him and with his speech and

shed tears.
Then said the Caliph to her: "I lie and my eunuch lieth, and thou

liest and thy waiting-woman lieth, so 'tis my rede we go, all four
of us together, that we may see which of us telleth the truth." Masrur

said: "Come, let us go, that I may do to this ill-omened old woman
evil deeds and deal her a sound drubbing for her lying." And the

duenna answered him: "O dotard, is thy wit like into my wit? Indeed
thy wit is as the hen's wit." Masrur was incensed at her words and

would have laid violent hands on her, but the Lady Zubaydah pushed him
away from her and said to him, "Her truthspeaking will presently be

distinguished from thy truth-speaking and her leasing from thy
leasing." Then they all four arose, laying wagers one with other,

and went forth afoot from the palace gate and hied on till they came
in at the gate of the street where Abu al-Hasan al-Khali'a dwelt.

He saw them, and said to his wife, Nuzhat al-Fuad: "Verily, all that
is sticky is not a pancake they cook, nor every time shall the crock

escape the shock. It seemeth the old woman hath gone and told her lady
and acquainted her with our case and she hath disputed with Masrur,

the eunuch, and they have laid wagers each with other about our
death and are come to us, all four, the Caliph and the eunuch and

the Lady Zubaydah and the old trot." When Nuzhat al-Fuad heard this,
she started up from her outstretchedposture and asked, "How shall

we do?" whereto he answered, "We will both feign ourselves dead
together and stretch ourselves out and hold out breath." So she

hearkened unto him and they both lay down on the place where they
usually slept the siesta and bound their feet and shut their eyes

and covered themselves with the veil and held their breath.
Presently up came the Caliph, Zubaydah, Masrur, and the old woman,

and entering, found Abu al-Hasan the wag and wife both stretched out
as dead, which when the Lady saw, she wept and said: "They ceased

not to bring ill news of my slave girl till she died. Methinketh Abu
al-Hasan's death was grievous to her and that she died after him."

Quoth the Caliph: "Thou shalt not prevent me with thy prattle and
prate. She certainly died before Abu al-Hasan, for he came to me

with his raiment rent and his beard plucked out, beating his breast
with two bits of unbaked brick, and I gave him a hundred dinars and

a piece of silk and said too him, 'Go, bear her forth, and I will give
thee a bedfellow other than she and handsomer, and she shall be

instead of her.' But it would appear that her death was no light

• awhile [ə´wail] ad.少顷；片刻 (初中英语单词)
• dwelling [´dweliŋ] n.住所；寓所 (初中英语单词)
• running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
• companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
• bestow [bi´stəu] vt.(把...)赠给；使用 (初中英语单词)
• accordingly [ə´kɔ:diŋli] ad.因此；从而；依照 (初中英语单词)
• commander [kə´mɑ:ndə] n.指挥员，司令员 (初中英语单词)
• preserve [pri´zə:v] v.保藏 n.保藏物 (初中英语单词)
• survive [sə´vaiv] vt.幸存；残存 (初中英语单词)
• patience [´peiʃəns] n.忍耐(力)；耐心；坚韧 (初中英语单词)
• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)
• acquaint [ə´kweint] vt.使....认识；告知 (初中英语单词)
• confirm [kən´fə:m] vt.证实；认可；加强 (初中英语单词)
• presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
• hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)
• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)
• faithful [´feiθfəl] a.忠实的；可靠的 (初中英语单词)
• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)
• princess [,prin´ses] n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人 (初中英语单词)
• violent [´vaiələnt] a.强暴的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)
• rejoicing [ri´dʒɔisiŋ] n.高兴；欢呼 (高中英语单词)
• plight [plait] n.境况；困境；苦境 (高中英语单词)
• vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)
• pavilion [pə´viljən] n.大帐篷；亭子 (高中英语单词)
• wherein [weər´in] ad.那里面 (高中英语单词)
• comfortably [´kʌmfətəbli] ad.舒适地 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
• related [ri´leitid] a.叙述的；有联系的 (高中英语单词)
• forthwith [fɔ:θ´wið] ad.立刻 (高中英语单词)
• whilst [wailst] conj.当...时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)
• presume [pri´zju:m] v.假定；推测；以为 (高中英语单词)
• befallen [bi´fɔ:lən] befall的过去分词 (英语四级单词)
• whereupon [,weərə´pɔn] ad.在什么上面；因此 (英语四级单词)
• raiment [´reimənt] n.衣饰 (英语四级单词)
• whereat [weər´æt] ad.对于...；在这里 (英语四级单词)
• sorrowful [´sɔrəuful] a.悲伤的，使人伤心的 (英语四级单词)
• console [kən´səul] vt.安慰；慰问 (英语四级单词)
• recompense [´rekəmpens] n.&vt.回报；补偿 (英语四级单词)
• obstinate [´ɔbstinit] a.顽固的；(病)难治的 (英语四级单词)
• acquit [ə´kwit] vt.无罪开释 (英语四级单词)
• swollen [´swəulən] swell的过去分词 (英语四级单词)
• grievous [´gri:vəs] a.痛苦的；严重的 (英语四级单词)
• spouse [spauz] n.配偶 (英语六级单词)
• turban [´tə:bən] n.(穆斯林的)缠头巾 (英语六级单词)
• beating [´bi:tiŋ] n.敲；搅打；失败 (英语六级单词)
• weeping [´wi:piŋ] a.&n.哭泣(的) (英语六级单词)
• eunuch [´ju:nək] n.太监 (英语六级单词)
• loiter [´lɔitə] v.闲逛，消磨时间 (英语六级单词)
• discord [´diskɔ:d] n.不一致；不和谐 (英语六级单词)
• lacking [´lækiŋ] a.缺少的，没有的 (英语六级单词)
• sticky [´stiki] a.胶粘的；顽固的 (英语六级单词)
• outstretched [,aut´stretʃt] a.扩张的；伸长的 (英语六级单词)
• posture [´pɔstʃə] n.姿势 v.故作姿态 (英语六级单词)