第34章

The Frank asked，'Wilt thou sell it for an hundred thousand dinars？'，and he answered，'I sell it to thee for a hundred thousand dinars； pay me down the monies.' Quoth the Consul，'I cannot carry about such sum as its price，for there be robbers and sharpers in Alexandria； but come with me to my ship and I will pay thee the price and give thee to boot a bale of Angora wool，a bale of satin，a bale of velvet and a bale of broadcloth.' So Ala al-Din rose and locked up his shop，after giving the jewel to the Frank，and committed the keys to his neighbour，saying，'Keep these keys in trust for me，whilst I go with this Consul to his ship and return with the price of my jewel.If I be long absent and there come to thee Ahmad al-Danaf，the Captain who stablished me in this shop，give him the keys and tell him where I am.' Then he went with the Consul to his ship and no sooner had he boarded it than the Prank set him a stool and，making him sit down，said to his men，'Bring the money.' So they brought it and he paid him the price of the jewel and gave him the four bales he had promised him and one over； after which he said to him，'O my lord，honour me by accepting a bite or a sup.' And Ala al-Din answered，'If thou have any water，give me to drink.' So the Frank called for sherbets and they brought drink drugged with Bhang，of which no sooner had Ala al-Din drunk，than he fell over on his back； whereupon they stowed away the chairs and shipped the shoving-poles and made sail.Now the wind blew fair for them till it drove them into blue water，and when they were beyond sight of land the Kaptan[117] bade bring Ala al-Din up out of the hold and made him smell the counter-drug of Bhang； whereupon he opened his eyes and said，'Where am I？' He replied，'Thou art bound and in my power and if thou hadst said，Allah open！ to an hundred thousand dinars for the jewel，I would have bidden thee more.' 'What art thou？' asked Ala al-Din，and the other answered，'I am a sea-captain and mean to carry thee to my sweetheart.' Now as they were talking，behold，a strip hove in sight carrying forty Moslem merchants； so the Frank captain attacked the vessel and made fast to it with grappling-irons；

then he boarded it with his men and took it and plundered it；

after which he sailed on with his prize，till he reached the city of Genoa.There the Kaptan，who was carrying off Ala al-Din，landed and repaired to a palace whose pastern gave upon the sea，and behold，there came down to him a damsel in a chin-veil who said，'Hast thou brought the jewel and the owner？' 'I have brought them both，' answered he； and she said，'Then give me the jewel.' So he gave it to her； and，returning to the port，fired his cannon to announce his safe return； whereupon the King of the city，being notified of that Kaptan's arrival，came down to receive him and asked him，'How hath been this voyage？' He answered，'A right prosperous one，and while voyaging I have made prize of a ship with one-and-forty Moslem merchants.' Said the King，'Land them at the port：' so he landed the merchants in irons and Ala al-Din among the rest； and the King and the Kaptan mounted and made the captives walk before them till they reached the audience-chamber，when the Franks seated themselves and caused the prisoners to pass in parade order，one by one before the King who said to the first，'O Moslem，whence comest thou？'

He answered，'From Alexandria；' whereupon the King said，'O headsman，put him to death.' So the sworder smote him with the sword and cut off his head： and thus it fared with the second and the third，till forty were dead and there remained but Ala al-Din，who drank the cup of his comrades' sighs and agony and said to himself，'Allah have mercy on thee，O Ala al-Din Thou art a dead man.' Then said the King to him，'And thou，what countryman art thou？' He answered，'I am of Alexandria，' and the King said，'O headsman，strike off his head.' So the sworder raised arm and sword，and was about to strike when behold，an old woman of venerable aspect presented herself before the King，who rose to do her honour，and said to him，'O King，did I not bid thee remember，when the Captain came back with captives，to keep one or two for the convent，to serve in the church？' The King replied，'O my mother，would thou hadst come a while earlier！ But take this one that is left.' So she turned to Ala al-Din and said to him，'Say，wilt thou serve in the church，or shall I let the King slay thee？' Quoth he，'I will serve in the church.' So she took him and carried him forth of the court and went to the church，where he said to her，'What service must I do？' She replied，'Thou must rise with the dawn and take five mules and go with them to the forest and there cut dry fire-wood and saw it short and bring it to the convent-kitchen.Then must thou take up the carpets and sweep and wipe the stone and marble pavements and lay the carpets down again，as they were； after which thou must take two bushels and a half of wheat and bolt it and grind it and knead it and make it into cracknels[118] for the convent； and thou must take also a bushel of lentils[119] and sift and crush and cook them.Then must thou fetch water in barrels and fill the four fountains； after which thou must take three hundred and threescore and six wooden bowls and crumble the cracknels therein and pour of the lentil-pottage over each and carry every monk and patriarch his bowl.' Said Ala al-Din，[120] 'Take me back to the King and let him kill me，it were easier to me than this service.' Replied the old woman，'If thou do truly and rightly the service that is due from thee thou shalt escape death； but，if thou do it not，I will let the King kill thee.'

And with these words Ala al-Din was left sitting heavy at heart.