第86章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(8)

When I awokeI found she had made me a dish of broth of four boiled fowlswhich she brought to metogether with a cup of wine. I ate and drank and laying down the pursewould have gone out；but she said to me'Whither goest thou？'Where my business calls me，'replied I；and she said'Thou shalt not go：sit down.'So I sat downand she said'Has thy love for me brought thee to such a passthat thou hast wasted thy substance and lost thy hand on my account？ Since this is soI call God to witness against me that I will never part with thee：and thou shalt see the truth of my words.'Then she sent for the Cadi and the witnesses and said to them'Draw up a contract of marriage between me and this young man and bear witness that I have received the dowry.'So they drew up our marriage contractand she said to them'Be witness that all my money that is in this chest and all that belongs to me and all my slavesmale and femaleare the property of this young man.'So they took act of this and withdrewafter having received their fees. Then she took me by the hand and leading me to a closetopened a large chest and said to me'See what is herein.'I looked and behold，it was full of handkerchiefs. Quoth she'This is the money I had of thee；for every time thou gavest me a handkerchiefwith fifty dinars in itI wrapped it together and threw it into this chest；so now take thy moneyfor indeed it returns to theeand thou to-day art become of high estate. Fate afflicted theeso that thou didst lose thy right hand for my sakeand I can never requite thee： naythough I gave my lifeit were little and I should still remain thy debtor.'Then she said to me'Take possession of thy property！'and transferred the contents of the other chest to that which contained the money I had given her. At thismy heart was gladdened and my grief forsook meand I rose and kissed and thanked her. Quoth she'Thou hast lost thy hand for love of meand how can I requite thee？ By Allahif I gave my life for thy loveit were far short of thy due！'Then she made over to me by deed all her clothes and jewels and other property and lay not down to sleep that nightbeing in sore concern on my accounttill I told her all that had befallen me.

I passed the night with her；but before we had lived together a month's timeshe fell grievously ill and sickness was upon her，by reason of her grief for the loss of my hand；and she endured but fifty days before she was numbered of the folk of the other world. So I laid her in the ground and had recitations of the Koran made over her tomb and gave much money in alms for her；after which I returned to the house and found that she had left much substance in money and houses and lands. Among her storehouses was one full of sesamewhereof I sold part to thee；

and it was the fact of my being busied in selling the rest of my goods and all that was in the storehousesthat diverted my attention from thee；nor have I till now made an end of receiving the price. Thisthenis the reason of the cutting off of my right hand and of my eating with the left. Now thou shalt not baulk me in what I am about to sayfor that I have eaten of thy victual；and it is that I make thee a gift of the money that is in thy hands.'Indeed，'replied I'thou hast shown me the utmost kindness and liberality.'Then said he'Wilt thou journey with me to my native countrywhither I am about to return with a lading of Cairo and Alexandria stuffs？'I will well，'answered Iand appointed with him for the end of the month. So I sold all I had and bought merchandise；then we set outhe and Iand journeyed till we came to this townwhere he sold his goodsand buying others in their steadset out again for Egypt. But it was my lot to abide hereso that there befell me in my strangerhood what befell last night. Thisthenis my storyO King of the age. Is it not more marvellous than that of the hunchback？'Not so，'answered the King；'and needs must you all be hanged.'Then came forward the controller of the Sultan's kitchen and said，'With thy leaveI will tell thee what happened to me but lately and if it be more marvellous than the story of the hunchbackdo thou grant us our lives.'So be it，'answered the King. Then said the controller'KnowO Kingthat The Controller's Story.

I was the night before last in company with a number of persons who were assembled for the purpose of hearing a recitation of the Koran. The doctors of the law attendedand when the readers had made an end of readingthe table was spreadand amongst other things they set before us a ragout flavoured with cumin-seed.

So we sat down to eat it；but one of our number held back and abstained from eating. We conjured him to eat of the ragout；but he swore that he would notand we pressed him till he said，'Press me not；what has already befallen me through eating of this dish suffices me.'And he repeated the following verses：

Shoulder thy tray'fore Godand get thee gone with itAnd to thine eyes apply such salve as thou deem'st fit.