一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第58部分

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Look　to　the　issues　of　things　and　sever　thyself　from　tyranny　and　oppression　and　arrogance　and　lewdness；　practising　justice　and　equity　and　humility　and　obeying　the　mandments　of　God　the　Most　High；　applying　thyself　to　gentle　dealing　with　those　of　His　creatures　whom　He　hath　mitted　to　thy　governance　and　being　assiduous　in　fulfilling　their　prayers　unto　thee；　in　accordance　with　that　which　is　incumbent　on　thee。　If　thou　be　constant　in　the　practice　of　these　virtues；　may　thy　days　be　serene　and　may　God　of　His　mercy　spare　thee　and　make　thee　revered　of　all　who　look　on　thee；　so　shall　thine　energies　be　brought　to　nought；　for　God　the　Most　High　shall　put　their　hosts　to　the　rout；　and　thou　shalt　have　acceptance　with　Him　and　be　loved　and　reverenced　of　His　creatures。'

'Verily；'　said　the　king；　'thou　hast　quickened　mine　entrails　and　enlightened　my　heart　with　thy　sweet　speech　and　hast　opened　the　eyes　of　mine　understanding；　after　blindness；　and　I　am　resolved　to　do　all　thou　hast　set　forth　to　me；　with　the　help　of　God　the　Most　High；　leaving　my　former　estate　of　lust　and　frowardness　and　bringing　forth　my　soul　from　duresse　into　freedom　and　from　fear　into　safety。　It　behoveth　thee；　then；　to　be　joyful　and　contented；　for　that　I；　for　all　my　greater　age；　am　bee　to　thee　as　a　son；　and　thou　to　me　as　a　dear　father；　for　all　thy　tenderness　of　years；　and　it　is　grown　incumbent　on　me　to　do　my　utmost　endeavour　in　that　thou　mandest　me。

Wherefore　I　thank　the　bounty　of　God　the　Most　High　and　thy　bounty　for　that　He　hath　vouchsafed　me；　by　thee；　fair　fortune　and　good　guidance　and　just　judgment　to　fend　off　my　trouble　and　anxiety；　and　the　deliverance　of　my　people　hath　been　brought　about　by　means　of　the　excellence　of　thy　skill　and　the　goodliness　of　thine　ordinance。　Henceforward；　thou　shalt　be　the　governor　of　my　kingdom　and　equal　to　myself　in　all　but　sitting　upon　the　throne；　and　all　that　thou　dost　shall　be　law　to　me　and　none　shall　gainsay　thy　word；　young　in　years　though　thou　be；　for　that　thou　art　old　in　wit　and　knowledge。　So　I　thank　God　who　hath　vouchsafed　thee　to　me；　that　thou　mayst　guide　me　out　of　the　crooked　paths　of　perdition　into　the　way　of　righteousness。'

Quoth　the　vizier；　'O　august　king；　know　that　no　merit　is　due　to　me　for　giving　thee　loyal　counsel；　for　that　to　succour　thee　by　deed　and　word　is　of　that　which　is　incumbent　on　me；　seeing　that　I　am　but　a　plant　of　thy　bounty；　nor　I　alone；　but　my　father　before　me　was　overwhelmed　with　thy　favours；　so　that　we　are　both　alike　partakers　in　thy　munificence；　and　how　shall　we　not　acknowledge　this？　Moreover　thou；　O　king；　art　our　shepherd　and　ruler　and　he　who　wards　off　our　enemies　from　us　and　to　whom　is　mitted　our　protection　and　our　guardian；　instant　in　endeavour　for　our　safety。　Indeed；　though　we　lavished　our　lives　in　thy　service；　yet　should　we　not　fulfil　that　which　behoveth　us　of　gratitude　to　thee；　but　we　supplicate　God　the　Most　High；　who　hath　set　thee　in　dominion　over　us　and　made　thee　our　ruler；　and　beseech　Him　to　vouchsafe　thee　long　life　and　success　in　all　thine　enterprises　and　not　to　try　thee　with　afflictions　in　thy　time；　but　bring　thee　to　thy　desire　and　make　thee　to　be　reverenced　till　the　day　of　thy　death　and　lengthen　thine　arms　in　beneficence　and　generosity；　so　thou　mayst　have　mandment　over　every　wise　man　and　subdue　every　froward　one　and　all　men　of　wisdom　and　mettle　be　found　with　thee　in　thy　realm　and　all　the　ignorant　and　fainthearted　be　plucked　out　therefrom；　and　we　pray　Him　to　withhold　from　thy　people　scarcity　and　misfortune　and　sow　among　them　love　and　good　fellowship　and　cause　them　to　enjoy　of　this　world　its　prosperity　and　of　the　next　its　felicity；　of　His　grace　and　bounty　and　hidden　mercies。　Amen。　For　He　can　all　things　and　there　is　nought　difficult　unto　Him；　in　whom　all　things　have　their　goal　and　glace　of　returning。'

When　the　king　heard　the　vizier's　prayers　he　was　mightily　rejoiced　thereat　and　inclined　to　him　with　his　whole　heart；　saying；　'Henceforth；　O　vizier；　thou　art　to　me　in　the　stead　of　brother　and　son　and　father；　and　nought　but　death　shall　sever　me　from　thee。　Thou　shalt　have　the　disposal　of　all　that　my　hand　possesses；　and　if　I　have　no　child　to　succeed　me；　thou　shalt　sit　on　my　throne　in　my　stead；　for　thou　art　the　worthiest　of　all　the　people　of　my　realm；　and　I　will　invest　thee　with　my　kingship　and　appoint　thee　my　heir　presumptive　to　inherit　the　kingdom　after　me；　if　it　be　the　will　of　God　the　Most　High；　in　the　presence　of　the　grandees　of　my　state；　and　will　them　to　witness　thereof。'

Then　he　called　his　secretary　and　bade　him　write　to　all　the　notables　of　his　kingdom；　summoning　them　to　his　court；　and　caused　proclamation　to　be　made　in　his　city　unto　all　the　townsfolk　great　and　small；　bidding　all　the　amirs　and　governors　and　chamberlains　and　other　officers　and　dignitaries；　as　well　as　the　sages　and　doctors　of　the　law；　to　his　presence。　Moreover　he　held　a　grand　divan　and　made　a　banquet；　never　was　its　like；　and　bade　all　the　folks　high　and　low；　thereto。　So　they　all　assembled　and　abode　in　eating　and　drinking　and　delight　a　month's　space；　after　which　the　king　clothed　all　his　household　and　the　poor　of　his　kingdom　and　bestowed　abundant　largesse　on　the　men　of　learning。

Then　he　chose　out　a　number　of　the　sages　and　wise　men；　by　counsel　of　the　son　of　Shimas；　and　caused　them　go　in　to　him；　bidding　him　choose　out　six　of　them；　that　he　might　make　them　viziers　under　his　mandment。　So　he　chose　out　six　of　the　oldest　of　them　in　years　and　the　most　acplished　of　them　in　understanding　and　knowledge　and　the　speediest　of　memory　and　judgment；　and　presented　them　to　the　king；　who　clad　them　in　the　vizier's　habit　and　said　to　them；　'Ye　are　bee　my　viziers；　under　the　mandment　of　this　my　chief　vizier；　the　son　of　Shimas。　Whatsoever　he　saith　to　you　or　biddeth　you　thereto；　ye　shall　not　in　anywise　depart　from　it；　albeit　he　is　the　youngest　of　you　in　years；　for　he　is　the　eldest　of　you　in　wit。'

Then　he　seated　them　upon　chairs；　adorned　with　gold；　after　the　usage　of　viziers；　and　appointed　unto　them　stipends　and　allowances；　bidding　them　choose　out　such　of　the　notables　of　the　kingdom　and　officers　of　the　troops　present　at　the　banquet　as　were　most　fit　for　the　service　of　the　state；　that　he　might　make　them　captains　of　tens　and　hundreds　and　thousands　and　appoint　to　them　dignities　and　assign　them　provision；　after　the　manner　of　grandees。　This　they　did　with　all　diligence　and　he　bade　them　also　handsel　all　who　were　present　with　largesse　galore　and　dismiss　them　each　to　his　country　with　honour　and　worship。　Moreover　he　charged　his　governors　rule　the　people　with　justice　and　enjoined　them　to　be　tenderly　solicitous　for　rich　and　poor　and　bade　succour　them　from　the　treasury；　according　to　their　several　degrees。　So　the　viziers　wished　him　continuance　of　glory　and　long　life；　and　he　manded　to　decorate　the　city　three　days；　in　gratitude　to　God　the　Most　High　for　His　mercies。

When　the　court　was　dissolved　and　all　the　people　had　departed；　each　to　his　own　place；　after　their　affairs　had　been　set　in　order；　the　king　summoned　the　son　of　Shimas　and　the　other　six　viziers　and　taking　them　apart　privily；　said　to　them；　'Know；　O　viziers；　that　I　have　been　a　wanderer　from　the　right　way；　drowned　in　ignorance；　setting　my　face　against　admonition；　a　breaker　of　pacts　and　promises　and　a　gainsayer　of　folk　of　good　counsel；　and　the　cause　of　all　this　was　my　befoolment　by　these　women　and　the　wiles　with　which　they　beset　me　and　the　seeming　fairness　of　their　speech；　wherewith　they　beguiled　me；　and　my　acceptance　of　this；　for　that　I　deemed　their　words　true　and　loyal　counsel；　by　reason　of　the　sweetness　and　softness　thereof；　but　behold；　they　were　deadly　poison。　And　now　I　am　certified　that　they　sought　but　to　ruin　and　destroy　me；　wherefore　they　deserve　punishment　and　requital　from　me；　for　the　sake　of　justice；　that　I　may　make　them　an　admonition　to　all　who　will　be　admonished。　But　what　deem　ye　advisedly　of　putting　them　to　death？'

'O　mighty　king；'　answered　the　young　vizier；　'I　have　already　told　thee　that　women　are　not　alone　to　blame；　but　that　the　fault　is　shared　between　them　and　the　men　who　hearken　to　them；　but　they　deserve　punishment　for　two　reasons：　first；　for　the　fulfilment　of　thy　word；　because　thou　art　the　supreme　king；　and　secondly；　by　reason　of　their　presumption　against　thee　and　their　beguilement　of　thee　and　their　intermeddling　with　that　which　concerns　them　not　and　whereof　it　befits　them　not　to　speak。　Wherefore　they　have　right　well　deserved　death；　yet　let　that　which　hath　befallen　them　suffice　them；　and　do　thou　henceforth　reduce　them　to　servants'　estate。　But　it　is　thine　to　mand　in　this　and　other　than　this。'

Some　of　the　viziers　seconded　Ibn　Shimas's　advice；　but　one　of　them　prostrated　himself　before　the　king　and　said　to　him；　'May　God　prolong　the　king's　days！　If　thou　be　indeed　resolved　to　put　them　to　death；　do　with　them　as　I　shall　say　to　thee。'　'And　what　is　that？'　asked　Wird　Khan。　Quoth　the　vizier；　'It　were　best　that　thou　bid　some　of　thy　female　slaves　carry　the　women　who　played　thee　false　to　the　apartment；　wherein　befell　the　slaughter　of　thy　viziers　and　sages；　and　imprison　them　there；　and　do　thou　assign　to　them　a　little　meat　and　drink；　enough　to　keep　life　in　them　＇and　no　more＇。　Let　them　never　be　suffered　to　go　forth　of　that　place；　and　whenever　one　of　them　dies；　let　her　abide　among　them；　as　she　is；　till　they　die　all；　even　to　the　last　of