第45章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(20)

They proceeded to the undergroundwhere they descended all and did not reappear for an hour or moreat the end of which time the old man and the slaves came upwithout the youthand replacing the trap-doorcovered it again with earth；then returned to the ship and set sail. As soon as they were out of sightI came down from the tree and going to the place I had seen them fill upmade shift to clear away the earthtill I came to the trap-doorwhich was of woodthe shape and bigness of a mill-stoneand raised itwhen there appeared underneath a winding stair of stone. At this I wondered and descendingcame to a fair chamberspread with various kinds of carpets and hung with silken stuffswhere I saw the youth sitting alone upon a raised couch and leant upon a cushionwith a fan in his hand and sweet-scented flowers and herbs and fruits before him. When he saw mehe turned pale；but I saluted himsaying'Calm thyself and put away fear；no harm shall come to thee： I am a man like unto thee and a king's sonwhom Providence hath sent to bear thee company in thy solitude. But now tell me thy history and why thou dwellest underground by thyself.'When he was assured that I was of his kindhe was glad and his colour returned；then he made me draw near to him and said'O my brothermy story is a strange oneand it is as follows. My father is a merchant jewellerpossessed of great wealth and having black and white slaveswho make trading voyageson his accountin ships and on camelsto the most distant countries；and he has dealings with kings. Until my birthhe had never been blessed with a child，but one night he dreamt that a son had been born to himwho lived but a short timeand awoke weeping and crying out. The following night my mother conceived and he took note of the date of her conception. The days of her pregnancy were accomplished and she gave birth to myselfwhereupon my father rejoiced and made banquets and fed the poor and the needy for that I had been vouchsafed to him in his old age. Then he assembled the astrologers and mathematicians of the day and those learned in nativities and horoscopes；and they drew my horoscope and said to my father'Thy son will live till the age of fifteenat which date there is a break in his line of lifewhich if he tide over in safetyhe shall live long. The danger with which he is threatened is as follows. In the Sea of Peril stands a mountain called the Loadstone Mountainon whose summit is a horseman of brassseated on a horse of the same metalwith a tablet of lead on his breast. Fifty days after this horseman falls from his horsethy son will dieand his slayer will be he who overthrows the statuea king called Agibson of Khesib.'My father was sore concerned at this prediction；but he brought me up and gave me a good educationtill I attained my fifteenth year. Ten days agonews came to him that the horseman had fallen into the sea and that he who overthrew him was Agibson of King Khesib；whereat he was as one distraught and feared for my life.

So he built me this place under the earth and stocking it with all that I need during the forty days that yet remain of the period of dangertransported me hitherthat I might be safe from King Agib's hands. When the forty days are pasthe will come back and fetch me；and this is my story and why thou findest me here alone.'When I heard his storyI marvelled and said to myself'I am that King Agib of whom he speaks；butby AllahI will assuredly not kill him！'And I said to him'O my lordGod willingthou shalt be spared suffering and deathnor shalt thou see trouble or sorrow or disquietfor I will abide with thee and serve thee；and when I have borne thee company during the appointed daysI will go with thee to thy dwelling-place and thou shalt bring me to some of thy father's servantswith whom I may journey to my own country；and God shall requite thee for me.'He rejoiced in my words and we sat conversing till nightfall when I rose and lighted a great wax candle and fed the lamps and set on meat and drink and sweetmeats. We ate and drank and sat talking till late into the nightwhen he lay down to sleep and I covered him up and went to sleep myself. Next morningI rose and heated a little waterthen woke him gently and brought him the warm waterwith which he washed his face and thanked mesaying，'God requite thee with goodO youth！By Allahif I escape from this my danger and from him they call Agib ben KhesibI will make my father reward thee！'May the day never come on which evil shall befall thee，'answered I'and may God appoint my last day before thine！'Then I set on food and we ateand I made ready perfumes with which he scented himself. MoreoverI made him a backgammon board and we played and ate sweetmeats and played again till nightfall when I rose and lighting the lampsset on food；and we ate and sat talking till the night was far spent. Then he lay down to sleep and I covered him up and went to sleep myself. Thus I did with himday and nightand the love of him got hold upon my heart and I forgot my troubles and said to myself'The astrologers lied；by AllahI will not kill him！'I ceased not to serve him and bear him company and entertain him thustill nine-and-thirty days were passed and we came to the morning of the fortieth daywhen he rejoiced and said to me'O my brotherthe forty days are up to-daypraised be God who hath preserved me from deathand this by thy blessing and the blessing of thy coming to meand I pray Him to restore thee to thy country！But nowO my brotherI prithee heat me some waterthat I may wash my body and change my clothes.'