第100章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(22)

God forbid，'replied he'that I should behead only ninewhen thou didst order me to behead ten！'Quoth the Khalif'Meseemsthou hast beheaded but nine and he who is before thee is the tenth.'By thy munificence，'replied the headsman'I have beheaded ten！'So they counted the dead menand beholdthey were ten. Then said the Khalif to me'What made thee keep silence at such a time and how camest thou in company with these men of blood？ Thou art a man of great agebut assuredly thy wit is but little.'When I heard the Khalif's wordsI replied'KnowO Commander of the Faithfulthat I am the Silent Elderand am thus called to distinguish me from my six brothers. I am a man of great learningwhilstas for the gravity of my understandingthe excellence of my apprehension and the spareness of my speech，there is no end to them；and by craft I am a barber. I went out early yesterday morning and saw these ten men making for a boat，and thinking they were bound on a party of pleasurejoined myself to them and embarked with them. After awhilethere came up the officerswho put chains round their necks and round mine amongst the restbut in the excess of my courtesyI kept silence and did not speaknor was this other than generosity on my part. Then they brought us before thee and thou didst order the ten robbers'heads to be stricken off；yet did I not make myself known to theepurely of my great generosity and courtesy，which led me to share with them in their death. But all my life have I dealt thus nobly with the folkand they still requite me after the foulest fashion.'When the Khalif heard what I said and knew that I was a man of exceeding generosity and few words and no meddler （as this young man would have itwhom I rescued from horrors and who has so scurvily repaid me）he laughed so immoderately that he fell backward. Then said he to me'O silent manare thy six brothers like thee distinguished for wisdom and knowledge and spareness of speech？'Never were they like me，'answered I；'thou dost me injusticeO Commander of the Faithful，and it becomes thee not to even my brothers with me： forof the abundance of their speech and their lack of conduct and courtesy，each one of them has gotten some bodily defect. One is blind of an eyeanother paralyseda third blinda fourth cropped of the ears and nosea fifth crop-lipped and a sixth hunchbacked and a cripple. Thou must not thinkO Commander of the Faithfulthat I am a man of many words；but I must needs explain to thee that I am a man of greater worth and of fewer words than they. By each one of my brothers hangs a tale of how he came by his defectand these I will relate to thee. Know thenO Commander of the Faithful that Story of the Barber's First Brother.

My first brotherthe hunchbackwas a tailor in Baghdadand plied his craft in a shopwhich he hired of a very rich manwho dwelt over against him and had a mill in the lower part of the house. One dayas my brother the hunchback was sitting in his shopsewinghe chanced to raise his head and sawat the bay-window of his landlord's housea lady like the rising full moonengaged in looking at the passers-by. His heart was taken with love of her and he passed the day gazing at her and neglecting his businesstill the evening. Next dayhe opened his shop and sat down to sew： but as often as he made a stitch，he looked at the bay-window and saw her as before；and his passion and infatuation for her redoubled. On the third dayas he was sitting in his usual placegazing on hershe caught sight of himand perceiving that he had fallen a captive to her lovesmiled in his faceand he smiled back at her. Then she withdrew and sent her slave-girl to him with a parcel of red flowered silk. The girl accosted him and said to him'My lady salutes thee and would have thee cut out for herwith a skilful handa shift of this stuff and sew it handsomely.'I hear and obey，'answered he；and cut out the shift and made an end of sewing it the same day. Next morning earlythe girl came back and said to him'My mistress salutes thee and would fain know how thou hast passed the night；for she has not tasted sleep by reason of her heart being taken up with thee.'Then she laid before him a piece of yellow satin and said to him'My mistress bids thee cut her two pairs of trousers of this stuff and sew them this day.'I hear and obey，'answered he；'salute her for me with abundant salutation and say to her'Thy slave is obedient to thy commands so order him as thou wilt.''Then he applied himself to cut out the trousers and used all diligence in sewing them. Presently the lady appeared at the window and saluted him by signsnow casting down her eyes and now smiling in his faceso that he made sure of getting his will of her. She did not let him budge till he had finished the two pairs of trouserswhen she withdrew and sent the slave-girlto whom he delivered themand she took them and went away. When it was nighthe threw himself on his bed and tossed from side to side，till morningwhen he rose and sat down in his shop. By-and-by，the slave-girl came to him and said'My master calls for thee.'

When he heard thishe was afraid；but the girlseeing his alarmto him'Fear not： nought but good shall befall thee. My lady would have thee make acquaintance with my master.'So my brother rejoiced greatly and went out with her. When he came into his landlord's presence he kissed the earth before himand the latter returned his salute；then gave him a great piece of linen，saying'Make this into shirts for me.'I hear and obey，'replied my brotherand fell to work at once and cut out twenty shirts by nightfallwithout stopping to taste food. Then said the husband 'What is thy hire for this？'Twenty dirhems，'answered my brother. So the man cried out to the slave-girl to give him twenty dirhems；but the lady signed to my brother not to take themand he said'By AllahI will take nothing from thee！'And took his work and went awaythough he was sorely in want of money. Then he applied himself to do their workeating and drinking but little for three daysin his great diligence.