第66章

' I hear and I obey，'answered I，and sent one of my Mamelukes home for the money.As soon as he came back with it，I handed it to the Sharif who，when he saw it in his hands，rose，and bidding his servants shut his shop，invited his brother merchants of the bazar the wedding； after which he carried me to his house and wrote out my contract of marriage with his daughter saying to me，'After ten days，I will bring thee to pay her the first visit.'So I went home rejoicing and，shutting myself up with the ape，told him what had passed； and he said'Thou hast done well.'Now when the time appointed by the Sharif drew near，the ape said to me，'There is a thing I would have thee do for me； and thou shalt have of me （when it is done） whatso thou wilt.'I asked，'What is that？'and he answered，'At the upper end of the chamber wherein thou shalt meet thy bride，the Sharif's daughter，stands a cabinet，on whose door is a ring-padlock of copper and the keys under it.Take the keys and open the cabinet in which thou shalt find a coffer of iron with four flags，which are talismans，at its corners； and in its midst stands a brazen basin full of money，wherein is tied a white cock with a cleft comb； while on one side of the coffer are eleven serpents and on the other a knife.Take the knife and slaughter the cock； cut away the flags and upset the chest，then go back to the bride and do away her maidenhead.This is what I have to ask of thee.''Hearkening and obedience，'answered I，and betook myself to the house of the Sharif.So as soon as I entered the bride-chamber，I looked for the cabinet and found it even as the ape had described it.Then I went in unto the bride and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness and stature and symmetrical-grace，for indeed they were such as no tongue can set forth.I rejoiced in her with exceeding joy； and in the middle of the night，when my bride slept，I rose and，taking the keys，opened the cabinet.

Then I seized the knife and slew the cock and threw down the flags and upset the coffer，whereupon the girl awoke and，seeing the closet open and the cock with cut throat，exclaimed，'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！ The Marid hath got hold of me！'Hardly had she made an end of speaking，when the Marid swooped down upon the house and，snatching up the bride，flew away with her； whereupon there arose a mighty clamour and behold，in came the Sharif，buffetting his face and crying，'O Abu Mohammed，what is this deed thou hast done？ Is it thus thou requiitest us？ I made this talisman in the cabinet fearing for my daughter from this accursed one who，for these six years，hath sought to steal-away the girl，but could not.But now there is no more abiding for thee with us，so wend thy ways.'Thereupon I went forth and returned to my own house，where I made search for the ape but could not find him nor any trace of him； whereby I knew that it was he who was the Marid，and that he had carried off my wife and had tricked me into destroying the talisman and the cock，the two things which hindered him from taking her，and I repented，rending my raiment and cuffing my face.And there was no land but was straitened upon me； so I made for the desert forthright and ceased not wandering on till night overtook me，for I knew not whither I was going.And whilst I was deep in sad thought behold，I met two serpents，one tawny and the other white，and they were fighting to kill each other.So I took up a stone and with one cast slew the tawny serpent，which was the aggressor； whereupon the white serpent glided away and was absent for a while，but presently she returned accompanied by ten other white serpents which glided up to the dead serpent and tore her in pieces，so that only the head was left.Then they went their ways and I fell prostrate for weariness on the ground where I stood； but as I lay，pondering my case lo！ I heard a Voice though I saw no one and the Voice versified with these two couplets，'Let Fate with slackened bridle fare her pace，* Nor pass the night with mind which cares an ace Between eye-closing and its opening，* Allah can foulest change to fairest case.'

Now when I heard this，O Commander of the Faithful，great concern get hold of me and I was beyond measure troubled，and behold，I heard a Voice from behind me extemporise these couplets，'O Moslem！ thou whose guide is Alcoran，* Joy in what brought safe peace to thee，O man.

Fear not what Satan haply whispered thee，* And in us see a Truth-believing Then said I，'I conjure thee，by the truth of Him thou wore shippest，let me know who thou art！'Thereupon the Invisible Speaker assumed the form of a man and said，'Fear not； for the report of thy good deed hath reached us，and we are a people of the true-believing Jinn.So，if thou lack aught，let us know it that we may have the pleasure of fulfilling thy want.'Quoth I，'Indeed I am in sore need，for I am afflicted with a grievous affliction and no one was ever afflicted as I am！'Quoth he，'Perchance thou art Abu Mohammed Lazybones？'and I replied，'Yes.'He rejoined，'I，O Abu Mohammed，am the brother of the white serpent，whose foe thou slewest，we are four brothers by one father and mother，and we are all indebted to thee for thy kindness.And know thou that he who played this trick on thee in the likeness of an ape，is a Marid of the Marids of the Jinn； and had he not used this artifice，he had never been able to get the girl； for he hath loved her and had a mind to take her this long while，but he was hindered of that talisman； and had it remained as it was，he could never have found access to her.However，fret not thyself for that； we will bring thee to her and kill the Marid； for thy kindness is not lost upon us.'Then he cried out with a terrible outcry'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and fourth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the Ifrit continued，''Verily thy kindness is not lost upon us.'Then he cried out with a terrible outcry in a horrible voice，and behold，there appeared a troop of the Jinn，of whom he enquired concerning the ape； and one of them said，'I know his abiding-