第19章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(17)

and verily he who cured me by means of a handle held in my hand can easily poison me in like manner. If I spare himhe will infallibly destroy me： so needs must I kill himand then I shall feel myself safe.'When the physician was convinced that there was no hope for himbut that the King would indeed put him to deathhe said to the latter'O Kingif thou must indeed kill megrant me a respitethat I may go to my house and discharge my last duties and dispose of my medical books and give my people and friends directions for my burial. Among my books is one that is a rarity of raritiesand I will make thee a present of it，that thou mayst lay it up in thy treasury.'And what is in this book？'asked the King. Quoth Douban'It contains things without number： the least of its secret virtues is that ifwhen thou hast cut off my headthou open the bookturn over six leaves and read three lines of the left-hand pagemy head will speak and answer whatever questions thou shalt ask it.'At this the King marvelled greatly and shook with delight and said'O physicianwill thy head indeed speak to meafter it is cut off？'And he answered'YesO King.'Quoth the King'This is indeed wonderful！'And sent him under guard to his housewhere Douban spent the remainder of the day in setting his affairs in order. Next daythe amirs and viziers and chamberlains and all the great officers and notables of the kingdom came to the court，and the presence chamber was like a flower garden. Presently the physician enteredbearing an old book and a small pot full of powder；and sitting downcalled for a dish. So they brought him a dishand he poured the powder therein and levelled it. Then he said'O Kingtake this bookbut do not open it till my head has been cut offplaced on this dish and pressed down on the powderwhen the blood will cease to flow： then open the book and do as I have enjoined thee.'The King took the book and gave the signal to the headsmanwho rose and struck off the physician's head and set it on the dishpressing it down upon the powder，when the blood immediately ceased to flowand the head unclosed its eyes and said'Open the bookO King！'Younan opened the book and found the leaves stuck together；so he put his finger to his mouth and took of his spittle and loosened them therewith and turned over the pages in this mannerone after anotherfor the leaves would not come apart but with difficultytill he came to the seventh pagebut found nothing written thereon and said to the head'O physicianthere is nothing here.'Quoth the head，'Open more leaves.'So the King turned over more leaves in the same manner. Now the book was as poisonedand before long the poison began to work upon the Kingand he fell back in convulsions and cried out'I am poisoned！'Whereupon the head repeated the following verses：

Lothese once were kings who governed with a harsh and haughty sway！In a littletheir dominion was as if it ne'er had been.

Had they swayed the sceptre justlythey had been repaid the likeBut they were unjustand Fortune guerdoned them with dole and teen.

Now they're passed awaythe moral of their case bespeaks them thus'This is what your sins have earnt you： Fate is not to blameI ween.'