Noureddin and the Fair Persian 2

Acting¹ forthwith on this decision she ordered two little slaves during her absence to watch over the beautiful Persian, and not to allow Noureddin to enter should he come. 

 

She had no sooner gone than he arrived, and not finding his mother in her apartment, would have sought her in that of the Persian. The two little slaves barred the entrance, saying that his mother had given orders that he was not to be admitted. Taking each by an arm, he put them out of the anteroom（前厅，接待室）, and shut the door. Then they rushed to the bath, informing their mistress with shrieks² and tears that Noureddin had driven them away by force and gone in. 

 

This news caused great consternation³ to the lady, who, dressing⁴ herself as quickly as possible, hastened to the apartment of the fair Persian, to find that Noureddin had already gone out. Much astonished to see the vizir's wife enter in tears, the Persian asked what misfortune had happened. 

 

"What!" exclaimed the lady, "you ask me that, knowing that my son Noureddin has been alone with you?" 

 

"But, madam," inquired the Persian, "what harm is there in that?" 

 

"How! Has my husband not told you that you are destined⁵ for the king?" 

 

"Certainly, but Noureddin has just been to tell me that his father has changed his mind and has bestowed⁶ me upon him. I believed him, and so great is my affection for Noureddin that I would willingly pass my life with him." 

 

"Would to heaven," exclaimed the wife of the vizir, "that what you say were true; but Noureddin has deceived you, and his father will sacrifice him in vengeance⁷ for the wrong he has done." 

 

So saying, she wept bitterly, and all her slaves wept with her. 

 

Khacan, entering shortly after this, was much astonished to find his wife and her slaves in tears, and the beautiful Persian greatly perturbed⁸. He inquired the cause, but for some time no answer was forthcoming. When his wife was at length sufficiently⁹ calm to inform him of what had happened, his rage and mortification¹⁰ knew no bounds. Wringing¹¹ his hands and rending¹² his beard, he exclaimed: 

 

"Wretched son! thou destroyest not only thyself but thy father. The king will shed not only thy blood but mine." His wife tried to console him, saying: "Do not torment¹³ thyself. With the sale of my jewels I will obtain 10,000 gold pieces, and with this sum you will buy another slave." 

 

"Do not suppose," replied her husband, "that it is the loss of the money that affects me. My honour is at stake, and that is more precious to me than all my wealth. You know that Saouy is my mortal enemy. He will relate all this to the king, and you will see the consequences that will ensue." 

 

"My lord," said his wife, "I am quite aware of Saouy's baseness, and that he is capable of playing you this malicious¹⁴（恶毒的） trick. But how can he or any one else know what takes place in this house? Even if you are suspected and the king accuses you, you have only to say that, after examining the slave, you did not find her worthy¹⁵ of his Majesty¹⁶. Reassure¹⁷ yourself, and send to the dealers¹⁸, saying that you are not satisfied, and wish them to find you another slave." 

 

This advice appearing reasonable, Khacan decided¹⁹ to follow it, but his wrath²⁰ against his son did not abate²¹. Noureddin dared not appear all that day, and fearing to take refuge with his usual associates in case his father should seek him there, he spent the day in a secluded²² garden where he was not known. He did not return home till after his father had gone to bed, and went out early next morning before the vizir awoke, and these precautions he kept up during an entire month. 

 

His mother, though knowing very well that he returned to the house every evening, dare not ask her husband to pardon him. At length she took courage and said: 

 

"My lord, I know that a son could not act more basely towards his father than Noureddin has done towards you, but after all will you now pardon him? Do you not consider the harm you may be doing yourself, and fear that malicious people, seeking the cause of your estrangement²³（疏远，失和）, may guess the real one?" 

 

"Madam," replied the vizir, "what you say is very just, but I cannot pardon Noureddin before I have mortified²⁴ him as he deserves." 

 

"He will be sufficiently punished," answered the lady, "if you do as I suggest. In the evening, when he returns home, lie in wait for him and pretend that you will slay²⁵ him. I will come to his aid, and while pointing out that you only yield his life at my supplications, you can force him to take the beautiful Persian on any conditions you please." Khacan agreed to follow this plan, and everything took place as arranged. On Noureddin's return Khacan pretended to be about to slay him, but yielding to his wife's intercession（调解，仲裁）, said to his son: 

 

"You owe your life to your mother. I pardon you on her intercession, and on the conditions that you take the beautiful Persian for your wife, and not your slave, that you never sell her, nor put her away." 

 

Noureddin, not hoping for so great indulgence, thanked his father, and vowed²⁶ to do as he desired. Khacan was at great pains frequently to speak to the king of the difficulties attending the commission he had given him, but some whispers of what had actually taken place did reach Saouy's ears. 

 

More than a year after these events the minister took a chill, leaving the bath while still heated to go out on important business. This resulted in inflammation of the lungs, which rapidly increased. The vizir, feeling that his end was at hand, sent for Noureddin, and charged him with his dying breath never to part with the beautiful Persian. 

 

Shortly afterwards he expired, leaving universal regret throughout the kingdom; rich and poor alike followed him to the grave. Noureddin showed every mark of the deepest grief at his father's death, and for long refused to see any one. At length a day came when, one of his friends being admitted, urged him strongly to be consoled, and to resume his former place in society. This advice Noureddin was not slow to follow, and soon he formed little society of ten young men all about his own age, with whom he spent all his time in continual feasting and merry-making. 

 

Sometimes the fair Persian consented to appear at these festivities, but she disapproved²⁷ of this lavish²⁸ expenditure²⁹, and did not scruple³⁰ to warn Noureddin of the probable consequences. He, however, only laughed at her advice, saying, that his father had always kept him in too great constraint³¹, and that now he rejoiced at his new-found liberty. 

 

What added to the confusion in his affairs was that he refused to look into his accounts with his steward³², sending him away every time he appeared with his book. 

 

"See only that I live well," he said, "and do not disturb me about anything else." 

 

Not only did Noureddin's friends constantly partake of his hospitality, but in every way they took advantage of his generosity³³; everything of his that they admired, whether land, houses, baths, or any other source of his revenue, he immediately bestowed on them. In vain the Persian protested against the wrong he did himself; he continued to scatter³⁴ with the same lavish hand.

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