第38章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(13)

Then my eyes ran over with tears and I said'O mighty Afrit and doughty hero！if a womanlacking sense and religiondeem it unlawful to strike off my headhow can Iwho am a manbring myself to slay her whom I never saw in my life？ Never will I do itthough I drink the cup of death and ruin！'And I threw the sword from my hand. Quoth the Afrit'Ye show the good understanding between youbut I will let you see the issue of your doings.'Then he took the sword and cut off the lady's hands and feet at four strokes；whilst I looked on and made sure of death；and she signed me a farewell with her eyes. Quoth he，'Thou cuckoldest me with thine eyes！'And struck off her head with a blow of his sword. Then he turned to me and said'O mortalby our law；when our wives commit adulteryit is lawful to us to put them to death. As for this womanI stole her away on her wedding-nightwhen she was a girl of twelveand she has known no one but myself. I used to come to her once in every ten days in the habit of a mana foreignerand pass one night with her；and when I was assured that she had played me false，I slew her. But as for theeI am not sure that thou west her accomplice： neverthelessI must not let thee go unharmed；but I will grant thee a favour.'At this I rejoiced greatly and said，'What favour wilt thou grant me？'I will give thee thy choice，'replied he'whether I shall change thee into a dogan ass or an ape.'Quoth I （and indeed I had hoped that he would pardon me），'By Allahspare meand God will reward thee for sparing a true believerwho hath done thee no harm.'And I humbled myself before him to the utmost and weptsaying'Indeedthou dost me injustice.'Do not multiply words on me，'answered he；'it is in my power to kill thee： but I give thee thy choice.'O Afrit，'rejoined I'it would best become thee to pardon meeven as the envied pardoned the envier.'Quoth he'And how was that？'They sayO Afrit，'answered I'that Story of the Envier and the Envied.

There dwelt once in a certain city two menwho occupied adjoining houseshaving a common party-wall；and one of them envied the other and looked on him with an evil eye and did his utmost endeavour to work him ill；and his envy grew on him till he could hardly eat or enjoy the delight of sleep for it. But the envied man did nought but prosperand the more the other strove to do him hurtthe more he increased and throve and flourished.

At last the hatred his neighbour bore him and his constant endeavour to do him hurt came to his knowledge and he said'By AllahI will renounce the world on his account！'So he left his native place and settled in a distant citywhere he bought a piece of landin which was a dried-up wellthat had once been used for watering the fields. Here he built him an oratorywhich he fitted up with all that he requiredand took up his abode thereindevoting himself with a sincere heart to the service of God the Most High. Fakirs and poor folk soon flocked to him from all sidesand his fame spread abroad in the cityso that the notables resorted to him. After awhilethe news reached the envious man of the good fortune that had befallen his old neighbour and the high consideration in which he was held： so he set out for the town in which the latter dwelt and repaired to the hermitagewhere the envied man welcomed him and received him with the utmost honour. Quoth the envier'I have journeyed hither on purpose to tell thee a piece of good news. So order thy fakirs to retire to their cells and go with me apartfor I will not say what I have to tell theeexcept privately where none may overhear us.'Accordingly the envied man ordered the fakirs to retire to their cells；and they did so. Then he took the other by the hand and walked on with him a little waytill they came to the deserted wellwhen the envious man gave the other a push and cast him into the wellunseen of any；after whichhe went out and went his way thinking that he had killed him. Now this well was haunted by Jinnwho bore up the envied man and let him down little by littleso that he reached the bottom unhurtand they seated him on a stone. Then said one of the Jinn to the others，'Know ye who this is？'And they answered'No.'Quoth he'This is the envied man who fled from him who envied him and settled in our citywhere he built him this oratory and entertains us with his litanies and recitations of the Koran. But the envious man set out and journeyed till he rejoined him and contrived to throw him into this well. Now the news of him hath this very night come to the Sultan of the city and he purposes to visit him to-morrow，on account of his daughter. 'And what ails his daughter？'asked another. 'She is possessed of an evil spirit，'replied the first，'for the genie Meimoun ben Demdem has fallen in love with her；but if the pious man knew the remedyhe could cure her；and it is the easiest of things.'And what is the remedy？'asked the other. Quoth the first speaker 'The black cat that is with him in the oratory has a white spotthe size of a dirhemat the end of her tail： he should take seven white hairs from this spot and fumigate the princess therewith；whereupon the Marid will leave her and never returnand she will be cured immediately.'And the envied man heard all this. When the day broke and the morning appeared and shonethe fakirs came to seek their chief and found him rising from the wellwherefore he was magnified in their eyes；and he took the black cat and plucking seven white hairs from the spot at the end of her taillaid them aside. The sun had hardly risen when the King arrived and entered the hermitage，attended by his chief officersleaving the rest of his suite without. The envied man bade him welcome and drawing near to him，said'Shall I tell thee the object of thy visit？'Yes，'answered the King. And he said'Thou comest to consult me concerning thy daughter.'