第46章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(21)
'With all my heart，'answered I；and heated water in plenty and carrying it in to himwashed his body well with lupin-meal and rubbed him down and changed his clothes and spread him a high bedon which he lay down to rest after the bath. Then said he'O my brothercut me a melon and sweeten it with sugar-candy.'So I went to the closet and bringing a fine melon I found there on a plattersaid to him'O my lordhast thou no knife？'Here it is，'answered he'on the high shelf at my head.'So I got up hurriedly and taking the knifedrew it from its sheath；but in stepping down backwardmy foot slipped and I fell heavily on the youthholding in my hand the knife，which hastened to fulfil that which was ordained and entered his heartand he died forthright. When I saw that he was no more and that I had indeed killed himI cried out grievously and buffeted my face and tore my clothessaying'We are God's and to Him we return！There remained for this youth but one day of the period of danger that the astrologers had foretold for himand the death of this fair one was to be at my hand！Verilymy life is nought but disasters and afflictions！Would he had not asked me to cut the melon or would I had died before him！But what God decrees cometh to pass.'When I was certain that there was no life left in himI rose and ascending the stairreplaced the trap-door and covered it with earth. Then I looked out to sea and saw the ship cleaving the waters in the direction of the island.
Whereat I was afeared and said'They will be here anon and will find their son dead and know 'twas I killed him and will slay me without fail.'So I climbed up into a high tree and hid myself among the leaves. Hardly had I done sowhen the vessel came to an anchor and the slaves landed with the old man and made direct for the placewhere they cleared away the earth and were surprised to find it soft. Then they raised the trap-door and going downfound the boy lying deadclad in clean clothes，with his face shining from the bath and the knife sticking in his breast. At this sightthey shrieked aloud and wept and buffeted their faces and cried out'Alas！woe worth the day！'whilst the old man swooned away and remained so long insensiblethat the slaves thought he would not survive his son. So they wrapped the dead youth in his clothes and carried him up and laid him on the groundcovering him with a shroud of silk. Then they addressed themselves to transport all that was in the place to the ship，and presently the old man revived and coming up after themsaw his son laid outwhereupon he fell on the ground and strewed dust on his head and buffeted his face and tore his beard；and his weeping redoubledas he hung over his dead sontill he swooned away again. After awhile the slaves came backwith a silken carpetand laying the old man thereonsat down at his head. All this time I was in the tree above themwatching them；and indeed my heart became hoary before my headfor all the grief and affliction I had undergone. The old man ceased not from his swoon till nigh upon sundownwhen he came to himself and looking upon his dead sonrecalled what had happened and how what he had feared had come to pass： and he buffeted his face and head and recited the following verses：
My heart is cleft in twain for severance of loves；The burning tears pour down in torrents from my eye.
My every wish with him I loved is fled away： What can I do or say？ what helpwhat hope have I？
Would I had never looked upon his lovely face！Alasthe ways on me are straitened far and nigh！
What charm can bring me peacewhat drink forgetfulnessWhilst in my heart the fire of love burns fierce and high？
Would that my feet had trod with him the road of death！Then should I notas nowin lonely sorrow sigh.
O Godthat art my hopehave pity upon me！Unite us twainI cravein Paradise for aye！
How blessed were we oncewhilst one house held us both And twinned in pure content our happy lives passed by！
Till fortune aimed at us the shafts of severance And parted us；for who her arrows can defy？
For lo！the age's pearlthe darling of his folkThe mould of every gracewas singled out to die！
I call him back： 'Would God thine hour had never come！'What while the case takes speech and doth forestall my cry.
Which is the speediest way to win to theemy son！My soul had paid the priceif that thy life might buy.
The sun could not compare with himfor lo！it sets. Nor yet the moon that wanes and wasteth from the sky.
Alasmy grief for thee and my complaint of fate！None can console for thee nor aught thy place supply.
Thy sire is all distraught with languishment for thee；Since death upon thee camehis hopes are gone awry.
Surelysome foe hath cast an envious eye on us： May he who wrought this thing his just deserts aby！
Then he sobbed once and gave up the ghost；whereupon the slaves cried out'Alasour master！'and strewed dust on their heads and wept sore. Then they carried the two bodies to the ship and set sail. As soon as they were out of sightI came down from the tree and raising the trap-doorwent down into the underground dwellingwhere the sight of some of the youth's gear recalled him to my mindand I repeated the following verses：
I see their traces and pine for longing pain；My tears rain down on the empty dwelling-place！
And I pray to Godwho willed that we should partOne day to grant us reunionof His grace！
Then I went up again and spent the day in walking about the islandreturning to the underground dwelling for the night. Thus I lived for a monthduring which time I became aware that the sea was gradually receding day by day from the western side of the islandtill by the end of the monthI found that the water was become low enough to afford a passage to the mainland. At this I rejoicedmaking sure of deliveryand fording the little water that remainedmade shift to reach the mainlandwhere I found great heaps of sandin which even a camel would sink up to the knees. HoweverI took heart and making my way through the sandespied something shining afar offas it were a bright-blazing fire. So I made towards itthinking to find succour and repeating the following verses：