第98章

She stole my cup of wine，before*The sips and sups had dealt relief，And hid it in a certain place，* My heart's desire and longing grief.

I name it not，for dread of him*Who hath of it command-in-chief.'

Quoth the Caliph，'Allah strike thee dead！[391] How knewest thou that？ But we accept what thou sayst.'Then he ordered him a dress of honour and a thousand dinars，and he went away rejoicing.And among tales they tell is one of THE MAN WHO STOLE THE DISH OF GOLD WHEREIN THE DOG ATE.

Sometime erst there was a man，who had accumulated debts，and his case was straitened upon him，so that he left his people and family and went forth in distraction； and he ceased not wandering on at random till he came after a time to a city tall of walls and firm of foundations.He entered it in a state of despondency and despair，harried by hunger and worn with the weariness of his way.As he passed through one of the main streets，he saw a company of the great going along； so he followed them till they reached a house like to a royal-palace.He entered with them，and they stayed not faring forwards till they came in presence of a person seated at the upper end of a saloon，a man of the most dignified and majestic aspect，surrounded by pages and eunuchs，as he were of the sons of the Wazirs.When he saw the visitors，he rose to greet them and received them with honour； but the poor man aforesaid was confounded at his own boldness，when beholding----And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Forty-first Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the poor man aforesaid was confounded at his own boldness，when beholding the goodliness of the place and the crowd of servants and attendants； so drawing back，in perplexity and fear for his life sat down apart in a place afar off.where none should see him.

Now it chanced that whilst he was sitting，behold，in came a man with four sporting-dogs，whereon were various kinds of raw silk and brocade[392] and wearing round their necks collars of gold with chains of silver，and tied up each dog in a place set privy for him； after which he went out and presently returned with four dishes of gold，full of rich meats，which he set severally before the dogs，one for each.Then he went away and left them，whilst the poor man began to eye the food，for stress of hunger，and longed to go up to one of the dogs and eat with him，but fear of them withheld him.Presently，one of the dogs looked at him and Allah Almighty inspired the dog with a knowledge of his case； so he drew back from the platter and signed to the man，who came and ate till he was filled.Then he would have withdrawn，but the dog again signed to him to take for himself the dish and what food was left in it，and pushed it towards him with his fore-paw.So the man took the dish and leaving the house，went his way，and none followed him.Then he journeyed to another city where he sold the dish and buying with the price a stock-in-trade，returned to his own town.There he sold his goods and paid his debts； and he throve and became affluent and rose to perfect prosperity.He abode in his own land； but after some years had passed he said to himself，'Needs must I repair to the city of the owner of the dish，and，carry him a fit and handsome present and pay him the money-value of that which his dog bestowed upon me.'So he took the price of the dish and a suitable gift； and，setting out，journeyed day and night，till he came to that city；

he entered it and sought the place where the man lived； but he found there naught save ruins mouldering in row and croak of crow，and house and home desolate and all conditions in changed state.At this，his heart and soul were troubled，and he repeated the saying of him who saith，'Void are the private rooms of treasury：*As void were hearts of fear and piety：

Changed is the Wady nor are its gazelles*Those fawns，nor sand-hills those I wont to see.'

And that of another，'In sleep came Su'ada's[393] shade and wakened me*Near dawn，when comrades all a-sleeping lay：

But waking found I that the shade was fled，* And saw air empty and shrine far away.'

Now when the man saw these mouldering ruins and witnessed what the hand of time had manifestly done with the place，leaving but traces of the substantial-things that erewhiles had been，a little reflection made it needless for him to enquire of the case； so he turned away.Presently，seeing a wretched man，in a plight which made him shudder and feel goose-skin，and which would have moved the very rock to rush，he said to him，'Ho thou！

What have time and fortune done with the lord of this place？