第90章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(12)

When he heard thishe ordered them to carry in the chests；so they took up that in which I was and carried itwith the rest，into the harem and set it down in the middle of the saloon；and indeed my spittle was dried up for fear. Then my mistress opened the chest and took me outsaying'Fear not： no harm shall befall theebut be of good courage and sit downtill the Lady Zubeideh comesand thou shalt surely win thy wish of me.'So I sat downand after awhilein came ten maidens like moons and ranged themselves in two rowsone facing the otherand after them other twentyhigh-bosomed maids with the Lady Zubeidehwho could hardly walk for the weight of her dresses and ornaments. As she drew nearthe damsels dispersed from around herand I advanced and kissed the earth before her. She signed to me to be seated and questioned me of my condition and familyto which I made such answers as pleased herand she said to my mistress'O damselour nurturing of thee has not been in vain.'Then she said to me'Know that this damsel is to us even as our own childand she is a trust committed to thee by God.'I kissed the earth again before herwell pleased that I should marry my mistressand she bade me sojourn ten days in the palace. So I abode there ten daysduring which time I saw not my mistress nor any one save a serving-maidwho brought me the morning and evening meals. After this the Lady Zubeideh took counsel with the Khalif on the marriage of her favouriteand he gave leave and assigned her a wedding portion of ten thousand dinars. So the Lady Zubeideh sent for the Cadi and the witnessesand they drew up our marriage contractafter which the women made sweetmeats and rich viands and distributed them among the inmates of the harem. Thus they did other ten daysat the end of which time my mistress entered the bath. Meanwhilethey set before me a tray of foodon which was a basin containing a ragout of fricasseed fowls'breasts dressed with cumin-seed and flavoured with sugar and rose-watermixed with muskand many another dishsuch as amazed the wit；and by AllahI did not hesitatebut fell upon the ragout and ate my fill of it. Then I wiped my handsbut forgot to wash them and sat till it grew darkwhen they lit the candles and the singing-women came with tambourines and proceeded to display the bride and carry her in procession from room to roomreceiving largesse of gold and pieces of silktill they had made the round of the palace. Then they brought her to me and disrobed her. When I found myself alone in bed with herI embraced herhardly believing in my good fortune；but she smelt the odour of the ragout on my hands and gave a loud cryat which the maids came running to her from all sides. I was alarmed and tremblednot knowing what was the matterand the girls said to her'What ails theeO sister？'Quoth she'Take this madman away from me： methought he was a man of sense.'What makes thee think me mad？'asked I. 'O madman，'answered she'what made thee eat of ragout of cumin-seedwithout washing thy hands？ By Allah，I will punish thee for thy misconduct！Shall the like of thee come to bed to the like of mewith unwashed hands？'Then she took from her side a whip of plaited thongs and laid on to my back and buttocks till I swooned away for the much beating；when she said to the maids'Take him and carry him to the chief of the policethat he may cut off the hand wherewith he ate of the ragout and washed it not.'When I heard thisI said'There is no power and no virtue but in God！Wilt thou cut off my hand，because I ate of a ragout and did not wash？'And the girls interceded with hersaying'O our sisterforgive him this once！'But she said'By AllahI must and will dock him of somewhat！'Then she went away and I saw no more of her for ten daysat the end of which timeshe came in to me and said'O black-a-viceI will not make peace with theetill I have punished thee for eating ragout of cumin-seedwithout washing thy hands！'Then she cried out to the maidswho bound me；and she took a sharp razor and cut off my thumbs and toesas ye have seen. Thereupon I swooned away and she sprinkled the severed parts with a powder which staunched the blood；and I said'Never again will I eat of ragout of cumin-seed without washing my hands forty times with potashforty times with galingale and forty times with soap！'And she took of me an oath to that effect. So when the ragout was set before memy colour changed and I said to myself'It was this that was the cause of the cutting off of my thumbs and toes.'And when ye forced meI said'I must needs fulfil the oath I have taken.''And what befell thee after this？'asked the others. 'After this，'replied he'her heart was appeased and I lay with her that night. We abode thus awhile，till she said to meone day'It befits not that we continue in the Khalif's palace： for none ever came hither but thouand thou wonst not in but by the grace of the Lady Zubeideh. Now she has given me fifty thousand dinars；so take this money and go out and buy us a commodious house.'So I went forth and bought a handsome and spacious housewhither she transported all her goods and valuables.'Then （continued the controller） we ate and went away：

and afterthere happened to me with the hunchback that thou wottest of. This then is my story and peace be on thee.'Quoth the King'This story is not more agreeable than that of the hunchback： on the contraryit is less soand you must all be hanged.'Then came forward the Jewish physician and kissing the earthsaid'O King of the ageI will tell thee a story more wonderful than that of the hunchback.'Tell on，'answered the King；and the Jew said'The strangest adventure that ever befell me was as follows：

The Jewish Physician's Story.