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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 9

R >> Richard F. Burton >> The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 9




When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King
assigned a house to Abu Kir and bade furnish it and he took up
his abode therein. On the morrow he mounted and rode through the
city, whilst the architects went before him; and he looked about
him till he saw a place which pleased him and said, "This stead
is seemly;" whereupon they turned out the owner and carried him
to the King, who gave him as the price of his holding, what
contented him and more. Then the builders fell to work, whilst
Abu Kir said to them, "Build thus and thus and do this and that,"
till they built him a dyery that had not its like; whereupon he
presented himself before the King and informed him that they had
done building the dyery and that there needed but the price of
the dye-stuffs and gear to set it going. Quoth the King, "Take
these four thousand dinars to thy capital and let me see the
first fruits of thy dyery." So he took the money and went to the
market where, finding dye-stuffs[FN#203] plentiful and well-nigh
worthless, he bought all he needed of materials for dyeing; and
the King sent him five hundred pieces of stuff, which he set
himself to dye of all colours and then he spread them before the
door of his dyery. When the folk passed by the shop, they saw a
wonder-sight whose like they had never in their lives seen; so
they crowded about the entrance, enjoying the spectacle and
questioning the dyer and saying, "O master, what are the names of
these colours?" Quoth he, "This is red and that yellow and the
other green" and so on, naming the rest of the colours. And they
fell to bringing him longcloth and saying to him, "Dye it for us
like this and that and take what hire thou seekest." When he had
made an end of dyeing the King's stuffs, he took them and went up
with them to the Divan; and when the King saw them he rejoiced in
them and bestowed abundant bounty on the dyer. Furthermore, all
the troops brought him stuffs, saying, "Dye for us thus and
thus;" and he dyed for them to their liking, and they threw him
gold and silver. After this his fame spread abroad and his shop
was called the Sultan's Dyery. Good came in to him at every door
and none of the other dyers could say a word to him, but they
used to come to him kissing his hands and excusing themselves to
him for past affronts they had offered him and saying, "Take us
to thine apprentices." But he would none of them for he had
become the owner of black slaves and handmaids and had amassed
store of wealth. On this wise fared it with Abu Kir; but as
regards Abu Sir, after the closet door had been locked on him and
his money had been stolen, he abode prostrate and unconscious for
three successive days, at the end of which the Concierge of the
Khan, chancing to look at the door, observed that it was locked
and bethought himself that he had not seen and heard aught of the
two companions for some time. So he said in his mind, "Haply
they have made off, without paying rent,[FN#204] or perhaps they
are dead, or what is to do with them?" And he waited till
sunset, when he went up to the door and heard the barber groaning
within. He saw the key in the lock; so he opened the door and
entering, found Abu Sir lying, groaning, and said to him, "No
harm to thee: where is thy friend?" Replied Abu Sir, "By Allah,
I came to my senses only this day and called out; but none
answered my call. Allah upon thee, O my brother, look for the
purse under my head and take from it five half-dirhams and buy me
somewhat nourishing, for I am sore anhungered." The porter put
out his hand and taking the purse, found it empty and said to the
barber, "The purse is empty; there is nothing in it." Whereupon
Abu Sir knew that Abu Kir had taken that which was therein and
had fled and he asked the porter, "Hast thou not seen my friend?"
Answered the doorkeeper, "I have not seen him these three days;
and indeed methought you had departed, thou and he." The barber
cried, "Not so; but he coveted my money and took it and fled
seeing me sick." Then he fell a-weeping and a-wailing but the
doorkeeper said to him, "No harm shall befal thee, and Allah will
requite him his deed." So he went away and cooked him some
broth, whereof he ladled out a plateful and brought it to him;
nor did he cease to tend him and maintain him with his own monies
for two months' space, when the barber sweated[FN#205] and the
Almighty made him whole of his sickness. Then he stood up and
said to the porter, "An ever the Most High Lord enable me, I will
surely requite thee of thy kindness to me; but none requiteth
save the Lord of His bounty!" Answered the porter, "Praised be
He for thy recovery! I dealt not thus with thee but of desire
for the face of Allah the Bountiful." Then the barber went forth
of the Khan and threaded the market-streets of the town, till
Destiny brought him to the bazar wherein was Abu Kir's dyery, and
he saw the vari-coloured stuffs dispread before the shop and a
jostle of folk crowding to look upon them. So he questioned one
of the townsmen and asked him, "What place is this and how cometh
it that I see the folk crowding together?"; whereto the man
answered, saying, "This is the Sultan's Dyery, which he set up
for a foreigner Abu Kir hight; and whenever he dyeth new stuff,
we all flock to him and divert ourselves by gazing upon his
handiwork, for we have no dyers in our land who know how to stain
with these colours; and indeed there befel him with the dyers who
are in the city that which befel."[FN#206] And he went on to tell
him all that had passed between Abu Kir and the master-dyers and
how he had complained of them to the Sultan who took him by the
hand and built him that dyery and give him this and that: brief,
he recounted to him all that had occurred. At this the barber
rejoiced and said in himself, "Praised be Allah who hath
prospered him, so that he is become a master of his craft! And
the man is excusable, for of a surety he hath been diverted from
thee by his work and hath forgotten thee; but thou actedst kindly
by him and entreatedst him generously, what time he was out of
work; so, when he seeth thee, he will rejoice in thee and entreat
thee generously, even as thou entreatedst him." According he
made for the door of the dyery and saw Abu Kir seated on a high
mattress spread upon a bench beside the doorway, clad in royal
apparel and attended by four blackamoor slaves and four white
Mamelukes all robed in the richest of raiment. Moreover, he saw
the workmen, ten negro slaves, standing at work; for, when Abu
Kir bought them, he taught them the craft of dyeing, and he
himself sat amongst his cushions, as he were a Grand Wazir or a
mighty monarch putting his hand to naught, but only saying to the
men, "Do this and do that." So the barber went up to him and
stood before him, deeming he would rejoice in him when he saw him
and salute him and entreat him with honour and make much of him;
but, when eye fell upon eye, the dyer said to him, "O scoundrel,
how many a time have I bidden thee stand not at the door of the
workshop? Hast thou a mind to disgrace me with the folk,
thief[FN#207] that thou art? Seize him." So the blackamoors ran
at him and laid hold of him; and the dyer rose up from his seat
and said, "Throw him." Accordingly they threw him down and Abu
Kir took a stick and dealt him an hundred strokes on the back;
after which they turned him over and he beat him other hundred
blows on his belly. Then he said to him, "O scoundrel, O
villian, if ever again I see thee standing at the door of this
dyery, I will forthwith send thee to the King, and he will commit
thee to the Chief of Police, that he may strike thy neck.
Begone, may Allah not bless thee!" So Abu Sir departed from him,
broken-hearted by reason of the beating and shame that had
betided him; whilst the bystanders asked Abu Kir, "What hath this
man done?" He answered, "The fellow is a thief, who stealeth the
stuffs of folk."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu
Kir beat Abu Sir and thrust him forth he said to those present,
"He is a thief who stealeth the stuffs of folk; he hath robbed me
of cloth, how many a time! and I still said in myself, 'Allah
forgive him!' He is a poor man; and I cared not to deal roughly
with him; so I used to give my customers the worth of their goods
and forbid him gently; but he would not be forbidden: and if he
come again, I will send him to the King, who will put him to
death and rid the people of his mischief." And the bystanders
fell to abusing the barber after his back was turned. Such was
the behaviour of Abu Kir; but as regards Abu Sir, he returned to
the Khan, where he sat pondering that which the dyer had done by
him and he remained seated till the burning of the beating
subsided, when he went out and walked about the markets of the
city. Presently, he bethought him to go to the Hammam bath; so
he said to one of the townsfolk, "O my brother, which is the way
to the Baths?" Quoth the man, "And what manner of thing may the
Baths be?" and quoth Abu Sir, "'Tis a place where people wash
themselves and do away their dirt and defilements, and it is of
the best of the good things of the world." Replied the townsman,
"Get thee to the sea," but the barber rejoined, "I want the
Hammam-baths." Cried the other, "We know not what manner of this
is the Hammam, for we all resort to the sea; even the King, when
he would wash, betaketh himself to the sea." When Abu Sir was
assured that there was no bath in the city and that the folk knew
not the Baths nor the fashion thereof, he betook himself to the
King's Divan and kissing ground between his hands called down
blessings on him and said, "I am a stranger and a Bath-man by
trade, and I entered thy city and thought to go to the Hammam;
but found not one therein. How cometh a city of this comely
quality to lack a Hammam, seeing that the bath is of the highest
of the delights of this world?" Quoth the King, "What manner of
thing is the Hammam?" So Abu Sir proceeded to set forth to him
the quality of the bath, saying, "Thy capital will not be a
perfect city till there be a Hammam therein." "Welcome to thee!"
said the King and clad him in a dress that had not its like and
gave him a horse and two blackamoor slaves, presently adding four
handmaids and as many white Mamelukes: he also appointed him a
furnished house and honoured him yet more abundantly than he had
honoured the dyer. After this he sent builders with him saying
to them, "Build him a Hammam in what place soever shall please
him." So he took them and went with them through the midst of
the city, till he saw a stead that suited him. He pointed it out
to the builders and they set to work, whilst he directed them,
and they wrought till they builded him a Hammam that had not its
like. Then he bade them paint it, and they painted it rarely, so
that it was a delight to the beholders; after which Abu Sir went
up to the King and told him that they had made an end of building
and decorating the Hammam, adding, "There lacketh naught save the
furniture." The King gave him ten thousand dinars wherewith he
furnished the Bath and ranged the napkins on the ropes; and all
who passed by the door stared at it and their mind confounded at
its decorations. So the people crowded to this spectacle, whose
like they had never in their lives seen, and solaced themselves
by staring at it and saying, "What is this thing?" To which Abu
Sir replied, "This is a Hammam;" and they marvelled thereat.
Then he heated water and set the bath aworking,[FN#208] and he
made a jetting fountain in the great basin, which ravished the
wit of all who saw it of the people of the city. Furthermore, he
sought of the King ten Mamelukes not yet come to manhood, and he
gave him ten boys like moons; whereupon Abu Sir proceeded to
shampoo them, saying, "Do in this wise with the bathers." Then
he burnt perfumes and sent out a crier to cry aloud in the city,
saying, "O creatures of Allah, get ye to the Baths which be
called the Sultan's Hammam!" So the lieges came thither and Abu
Sir bade the slave-boys wash their bodies. The folk went down
into the tank and coming forth, seated themselves on the raised
pavement, whilst the boys shampooed them, even as Abu Sir had
taught them; and they continued to enter the Hammam and do their
need therein gratis and go out, without paying, for the space of
three days. On the fourth day the barber invited the King, who
took horse with his Grandees and rode to the Baths, where he put
off his clothes and entered; then Abu Sir came in to him and
rubbed his body with the bag-gloves, peeling from his skin
dirt-rolls like lamp-wicks and showing them to the King, who
rejoiced therein, and clapping his hand upon his limbs heard them
ring again for very smoothness and cleanliness[FN#209]; after
which thorough washing Abu Sir mingled rose-water with the water
of the tank and the King went down therein. When he came forth,
his body was refreshed and he felt a lightness and liveliness
such as he had never known in his life. Then the barber made him
sit on the dais and the boys proceeded to shampoo him, whilst the
censers fumed with the finest lign-aloes.[FN#210] Then said the
King, "O master is this the Hammam?"; and Abu Sir said, "Yes."
Quoth the King, "As my head liveth, my city is not become a city
indeed but by this Bath," presently adding, "But what pay takest
thou for each person?" Quoth Abu Sir, "That which thou biddest
will I take;" whereupon the King cried, "Take a thousand gold
pieces for every one who washeth in thy Hammam." Abu Sir,
however, said, "Pardon, O King of the age! All men are not
alike, but there are amongst them rich and poor, and if I take of
each a thousand dinars, the Hammam will stand empty, for the poor
man cannot pay this price." Asked the King, "How then wilt thou
do for the price!"; and the barber answered, "I will leave it to
their generosity.[FN#211] Each who can afford aught shall pay
that which his soul grudgeth not to give, and we will take from
every man after the measure of his means. On this wise will the
folk come to us and he who is wealthy shall give according to his
station and he who is wealth-less shall give what he can afford.
Under such condition the Hammam will still be at work and prosper
exceedingly; but a thousand dinars is a Monarch's gift, and not
every man can avail to this." The Lords of the Realm confirmed
Abu Sir's words, saying, "This is the truth, O King of the age!
Thinkest thou that all folk are like unto thee, O glorious
King[FN#212]?" The King replied, "Ye say sooth; but this man is
a stranger and poor and 'tis incumbent on us to deal generously
with him, for that he hath made in our city this Hammam whose
like we have never in our lives seen and without which our city
were not adorned nor hath gotten importance; wherefore, an we
favour him with increase of fee 'twill not be much." But the
Grandees said, "An thou wilt guerdon him be generous with thine
own monies, and let the King's bounty be extended to the poor by
means of the low price of the Hammam, so the lieges may bless
thee; but, as for the thousand dinars, we are the Lords of thy
Land, yet do our souls grudge to pay it; and how then should the
poor be pleased to afford it?" Quoth the King, "O my Grandees,
for this time let each of you give him an hundred dinars and a
Mameluke, a slave girl and a blackamoor;" and quoth they, "'Tis
well; we will give it; but after to-day whoso entereth shall give
him only what he can afford, without grudging." "No harm in
that," said the King; and they gave him the thousand gold pieces
and three chattels. Now the number of the Nobles who were washed
with the King that day was four hundred souls;--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
number of the Nobles who were washed with the King that day were
four hundred souls; so that the total of that which they gave him
was forty thousand dinars, besides four hundred Mamelukes and a
like number of negroes and slave-girls.[FN#213] Moreover the
King gave him ten thousand dinars, besides ten white slaves and
ten hand-maidens and a like number of blackamoors; whereupon
coming forward Abu Sir kissed the ground before him and said, "O
auspicious Sovereign, lord of justice, what place will contain me
all these women and slaves?" Quoth the King, "O weak o wit, I
bade not my nobles deal thus with thee but that we might gather
together unto thee wealth galore; for may be thou wilt bethink
thee of thy country and family and repine for them and be minded
to return to thy mother-land; so shalt thou take from our country
muchel of money to maintain thyself withal, what while thou
livest in thine own country." And quoth Abu Sir, "O King of the
age, (Allah advance thee!) these white slaves and women and
negroes befit only Kings and hadst thou ordered me ready money,
it were more profitable to me than this army; for they must eat
and drink and dress, and whatever betideth me of wealth, it will
not suffice for their support." The King laughed and said, "By
Allah thou speakest sooth! They are indeed a mighty host, and
thou hast not the wherewithal to maintain them; but wilt thou
sell them to me for an hundred dinars a head?" Said Abu Sir, "I
sell them to thee at that price." So the King sent to his
treasurer for the coin and he brought it and gave Abu Sir the
whole of the price without abatement[FN#214] and in full tale;
after which the King restored the slaves take them; for they are
a gift from me to you." So they obeyed his bidding and took each
what belonged to him; whilst Abu Sir said to the King, "Allah
ease thee, O King of the age, even as thou hast eased me of these
Ghuls, whose bellies none may fill save Allah[FN#215]!" The King
laughed, and said he spake sooth; then, taking the Grandees of
his Realm from the Hammam returned to his palace; but the barber
passed the night in counting out his gold and laying it up in
bags and sealing them; and he had with him twenty black slaves
and a like number of Mamelukes and four slave girls to serve him.
Now when morning morrowed, he opened the Hammam and sent out a
crier to cry, saying, "Whoso entereth the Baths and washeth shall
give that which he can afford and which his generosity requireth
him to give." Then he seated himself by the pay-chest[FN#216]
and customers flocked in upon him, each putting down that which
was easy to him, nor had eventide evened ere the chest was full
of the good gifts of Allah the Most High. Presently the Queen
desired to go to the Hammam, and when this came to Abu Sir's
knowledge, he divided the day on her account into two parts,
appointing that between dawn and noon to men and that between
midday and sundown to women.[FN#217] As soon as the Queen came,
he stationed a handmaid behind the pay-chest; for he had taught
four slave-girls the service of the Hammam, so that they were
become expert bathwomen and tire-women. When the Queen entered,
this pleased her and her breast waxed broad and she laid down a
thousand dinars. Thus his report was noised abroad in the city,
and all who entered the bath he entreated with honour, were they
rich or poor; good came in upon him at every door and he made
acquaintance with the royal guards and got him friends and
intimates. The King himself used to come to him one day in every
week, leaving with him a thousand dinars and the other days were
for rich and poor alike; and he was wont to deal courteously with
the folk and use them with the utmost respect. It chanced that
the King's sea-captain came in to him one day in the bath; so Abu
Sir did off his dress and going in with him, proceeded to shampoo
him and entreated him with exceeding courtesy. When he came
forth, he made him sherbet and coffee; and when he would have
given him somewhat, he swore that he would not accept him from
aught. So the captain was under obligation to him, by reason of
his exceeding kindness and courtesy and was perplexed how to
requite the bath-man his generous dealing. Thus fared it with
Abu Sir: but as regards Abu Kir, hearing all the people
recounting wonders of the Baths and saying, "Verily, this Hammam
is the Paradise of this world! Inshallah, O such an one, thou
shalt go with us to-morrow to this delightful bath," he said to
himself, "Needs must I fare like the rest of the world, and see
this bath that hath taken folk's wits." So he donned his richest
dress and mounting a she-mule and bidding the attendance of four
white slaves and four blacks, walking before and behind him, he
rode to the Hammam. When he alighted at the door, he smelt the
scent of burning aloes-wood and found people going in and out and
the benches full of great and small. So he entered the vestibule
and saw Abu Sir, who rose to him and rejoiced in him: but the
dyer said to him, "Is this the way of well-born men? I have
opened me a dyery and am become master-dyer of the city and
acquainted with the King and have risen to prosperity and
authority: yet camest thou not to me nor askest of me nor saidst,
Where's my comrade? For my part I sought thee in vain and sent
my slaves and servants to make search for thee in all the Khans
and other places; but they knew not whither thou hadst gone, nor
could any one give me tidings of thee." Said Abu Sir, "Did I not
come to thee and didst thou not make me out a thief and bastinado
me and dishonour me before the world?" At this Abu Kir made a
show of concern and asked, "What manner of talk is this? Was it
thou whom I beat?"; and Abu Sir answered, "Yes, 'twas I."
Whereupon Abu Kir swore to him a thousand oaths that he knew him
not and said, "There was a fellow like thee, who used to come
every day and steal the people's stuff, and I took thee for him."
And he went on to pretend penitence, beating hand upon hand and
saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great? Indeed we have sinned against thee; but
would that thou hadst discovered thyself to me and said, I am
such an one! Indeed the fault is with thee, for that thou madest
not thyself known unto me, more especially seeing that I was
distracted for much business." Replied Abu Sir, "Allah pardon
thee,[FN#218] O my comrade! This was foreordained in the Secret
Purpose, and reparation is with Allah. Enter and put off thy
clothes and bathe at thine ease." Said the dyer, "I conjure
thee, by Allah, O my brother, forgive me!"; and said Abu Sir,
"Allah acquit thee of blame and forgive thee! Indeed this thing
was decreed to me from all eternity." Then asked Abu Kir,
"Whence gottest thou this high degree?"; and answered Abu Sir,
"He who prospered thee prospered me; for I went up to the King
and described to him the fashion of the Hammam and he bade me
build one." And the dyer said, "Even as thou art beknown of the
King, so also am I;"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu
Kir and Abu Sir were exchanging reproof and excuse, the dyer said
to him, "Even as thou art beknown of the King, so also am I; and,
Inshallah,-God willing-I will make him love and favour thee more
than ever, for my sake, he knoweth not that thou art my comrade,
but I will acquaint him of this and commend thee to him." But
Abu Sir said, "There needeth no commendation; for He who moveth
man's heart to love still liveth; and indeed the King and all his
court affect me and have given me this and that." And he told
him the whole tale and said to him, "Put off thy clothes behind
the chest and enter the Hammam, and I will go in with thee and
rub thee down with the glove." So he doffed his dress and Abu
Sir, entering the bath with him, soaped him and gloved him and
then dressed him and busied himself with his service till he came
forth, when he brought him dinner and sherbets, whilst all the
folk marvelled at the honour he did him. Then Abu Kir would have
given him somewhat; but he swore that he would not accept aught
from him and said to him, "Shame upon such doings! Thou art my
comrade, and there is no difference between us." Then Abu Kir
observed, "By Allah, O my comrade, this is a mighty fine Hammam
of thine, but there lacketh somewhat in its ordinance." Asked
Abu Sir, "And what is that?" and Abu Kir answered, "It is the
depilatory,[FN#219] to wit, the paste compounded of yellow
arsenic and quicklime which removeth the hair with comfort. Do
thou prepare it and next time the King cometh, present it to him,
teaching him how he shall cause the hair to fall off by such
means, and he will love thee with exceeding love and honour
thee." Quoth Abu Sir, "Thou speakest sooth, and Inshallah, I
will at once make it." Then Abu Kir left him and mounted his
mule and going to the King said to him, "I have a warning to give
thee, O King of the age!" "And what is thy warning?" asked the
King; and Abu Kir answered, "I hear that thou hast built a
Hammam." Quoth the King, "Yes: there came to me a stranger and I
builded the Baths for him, even as I builded the dyery for thee;
and indeed 'tis a mighty fine Hammam and an ornament to my city;"
and he went on to describe to him the virtues of the bath. Quoth
the dyer, "Hast thou entered therein?"; and quoth the King,
"Yes." Thereupon cried Abu Kir, "Alhamdolillah-praised be
God,-who save thee from the mischief of yonder villain and foe of
the Faith, I mean the bathkeeper!" The King enquired, "And what
of him?"; and Abu Kir replied, "Know, O King of the age that, an
thou enter the Hammam again, after this day, thou wilt surely
perish." "How so?" said the King; and the dyer said, "This
bath-keeper is thy foe and the foe of the Faith, and he induced
thee not to stablish this Bath but because he designed therein to
poison thee. He hath made for thee somewhat and he will present
it to thee when thou enterest the Hammam, saying, 'This is a drug
which, if one apply to his parts below the waist, will remove the
hair with comfort.' Now it is no drug, but a drastic dreg and a
deadly poison; for the Sultan of the Christians hath promised
this obscene fellow to release to him his wife and children, an
he will kill thee; for they are prisoners in the hands of that
Sultan. I myself was captive with him in their land, but I
opened a dyery and dyed for them various colours, so that they
conciliated the King's heart to me and he bade me ask a boon of
him. I sought of him freedom and he set me at liberty, whereupon
I made my way to this city and seeing yonder man in the Hammam,
said to him, 'How didst thou effect thine escape and win free
with thy wife and children?' Quoth he, 'We ceased not to be in
captivity, I and my wife and children, till one day the King of
the Nazarenes held a court whereat I was present, amongst a
number of others; and as I stood amongst the folk, I heard them
open out on the Kings and name them, one after other, till they
came to the name of the King of this city, whereupon the King of
the Christians cried out 'Alas!' and said, 'None vexeth
me[FN#220] in the world, but the King of such a city![FN#221]
Whosoever will contrive me his slaughter I will give him all he
shall ask.' So I went up to him and said, 'An I compass for thee
his slaughter, wilt thou set me free, me and my wife and my
children?' The King replied 'Yes; and I will give thee to boot
whatso thou shalt desire.' So we agreed upon this and he sent me
in a galleon to this city, where I presented myself to the King
and he built me this Hammam. Now, therefore, I have nought to do
but to slay him and return to the King of the Nazarenes, that I
may redeem my children and my wife and ask a boon of him.' Quoth
I, "And how wilt thou go about to kill him?'; and quoth he, 'By
the simplest of all devices; for I have compounded him somewhat
wherein is poison; so, when he cometh to the bath, I shall say to
him, 'Take this paste and anoint therewith thy parts below the
waist for it will cause the hair[FN#222] to drop off.' So he
will take it and apply it to himself and the poison will work in
him a day and a night, till it reacheth his heart and destroyeth
him; and meanwhile I shall have made off and none will know that
it was I slew him.'" "When I heard this," added Abu Kir, "I
feared for thee, my benefactor, wherefore I have told thee of
what is doing." As soon as the King heard the dyer's story, he
was wroth with exceeding wrath and said to him, "Keep this
secret." Then he resolved to visit the Hammam, that he might
dispel doubt by supplying certainty; and when he entered, Abu Sir
doffed his dress and betaking himself as of wont to the service
of the King, proceeded to glove him; after which he said to him,
"O King of the age, I have made a drug which assisteth in
plucking out the lower hair." Cried the King, "Bring it to me":
so the barber brought it to him and the King, finding it nauseous
of smell, was assured that it was poison; wherefore he was
incensed and called out to his guards, saying, "Seize him!"
Accordingly they seized him and the King donned his dress and
returned to his palace, boiling with fury, whilst none knew the
cause of his indignation; for, of the excess of his wrath he had
acquainted no one therewith and none dared ask him. Then he
repaired to the audience-chamber and causing Abu Sir to be
brought before him, with his elbows pinioned, sent for his
Sea-captain and said to him, "Take this villain and set him in a
sack with two quintals of lime unslacked and tie its mouth over
his head. Then lay him in a cock-boat and row out with him in
front of my palace, where thou wilt see me sitting at the
lattice. Do thou say to me, 'Shall I cast him in?' and if I
answer, 'Cast him!' throw the sack into the sea, so the
quick-lime may be slaked on him to the intent that he shall die
drowned and burnt."[FN#223] "Hearkening and obeying;" quoth the
Captain and taking Abu Sir from the presence carried him to an
island facing the King's palace, where he said to him, "Ho thou,
I once visited thy Hammam and thou entreatedst me with honour and
accomplishedst all my needs and I had great pleasure of thee:
moreover, thou swarest that thou wouldst take no pay of me, and I
love thee with a great love. So tell me how the case standeth
between thee and the King and what abominable deed thou hast done
with him that he is wroth with thee and hath commanded me that
thou shouldst die this foul death." Answered Abu Sir, "I have
done nothing, nor weet I of any crime I have committed against
him which meriteth this!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.

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