第134章 GHANIM BEN EYOUB THE SLAVE OF LOVE.(8)

Presently he awoke and opening his eyes，shut them again and heard the damsel at his head say to her at his feet，'Hist，Kheizuran！'Well，Kezib el Ban？'answered the other. 'Verily，'said the first'our lord knows not what has passed and watches over a tomb in which there is only a carved wooden figure，of the carpenter's handiwork.'Then what is become of Cout el Culoub？'

enquired the other. 'Know，'replied Kezib el Ban. 'that the Lady Zubeideh bribed one of her waiting-women to drug her with henbane and laying her in a chestcommanded Sewab and Kafour to take it and bury it among the tombs.'Quoth Kheizuran，'And is not the lady Cout el Culoub dead？'No，'replied the other；'God preserve her youth from death！but I have heard the Lady Zubeideh say that she is with a young merchant of Damascus，by name Ghanim ben Eyoub，and has been with him these four months，whilst this our lord is weeping and watching anights over an empty tomb.'When the Khalif heard the girls'talk and knew that the tomb was a trick and a fraud and that Cout el Culoub had been with Ghanim ben Eyoub for four months，he was sore enraged and rising up，summoned his officers of statewhereupon the Vizier Jaafer the Barmecide came up and kissed the earth before himand the Khalif said to him'O Jaafertake a company of men with thee and fall upon the house of Ghanim ben Eyoub and bring him to mewith my slave-girl Cout el Culoubfor I will assuredly punish him！'I hear and obey，'answered Jaaferand setting out with his guards and the chief of the police，repaired to Ghanim's house. Now the latter had brought home a pot of meat and was about to put forth his hand to eat of it，he and Cout d Culoubwhen the damsel，happening to look outfound the house beset on all sides by the Vizier and the chief of the police and their officers and attendants，with drawn swords in their handsencompassing the placeas the white of the eye encompasses the black. At this sightshe knew that news of her had reached the Khalifher master，and made sure of ruinand her colour paled and her beauty changed. Then she turned to Ghanim and said to him'O my love，fly for thy life！'What shall I do？'said he；'and whither shall I go，seeing that my substance and fortune are in this house？'Delay not，'answered she，'lest thou lose both life and goods.'O my beloved and light of my eyes，'rejoined he，'how shall I do to get away，when they have surrounded the house？'

'Fear not，'said she： and taking off his clothesmade him put on old and ragged onesafter which she took the empty pot and put in it a piece of bread and a saucer of meat，and placing the whole in a basket，set it on his head and said'Go out in this guise and fear not for mefor I know how to deal with the Khalif.'So he went out amongst them，carrying the basket and its contentsand God covered him with His protection and he escaped the snares and perils that beset himthanks to the purity of his intent. MeanwhileJaafer alighted and entering the housesaw Cout el Culoubwho had dressed and decked herself after the richest fashion and filled a chest with gold and jewellery and precious stones and rarities and what else was light of carriage and great of value. When she saw Jaafershe rose and kissing the earth before himsaid'O my lordthe pen hath written from of old that which God hath decreed.'By AllahO my lady，'rejoined Jaafer'I am commanded to seize Ghanim ben Eyoub.'O my lord，'replied she'he made ready merchandise and set out therewith for Damascus and I know nothing more of him；but I desire thee to take charge of this chest and deliver it to me in the palace of the Commander of the Faithful.'I hear and obey，'said Jaaferand bade his men carry the chest to the palace，together with Cout el Culoubcommanding them to use her with honour and consideration. And they did his biddingafter they had plundered Ghanim's house. Then Jaafer went in to the Khalif and told him what had happenedand he bade lodge Cout el Culoub in a dark chamber and appointed an old woman to serve her，thinking no otherwise than that Ghanim had certainly debauched her and lain with her. Then he wrote a letter to the Amir Mohammed ben Suleiman ez Zeinithe viceroy of Damascusto the following purport'As soon as this letter reaches theelay hands on Ghanim ben Eyoub and send him to me.'When the letter came to the viceroyhe kissed it and laid it on his headthen caused proclamation to be made in the streets of Damascus'Whoso is minded to plunderlet him betake himself to the house of Ghanim ben Eyoub！'So they repaired to the housewhere they found that Ghanim's mother and sister had made him a tomb midmost the house and sat by itweeping for himwhereupon they seized themwithout telling them the causeand carried them before the Sultanafter having plundered the house. The viceroy questioned them of Ghanimand they replied'This year or more we have had no news of him.'So they restored them to their place.

Meanwhile Ghanimfinding himself despoiled of his wealth and considering his casewept till his heart was well-nigh broken.

Then he fared on at randomtill the end of the dayand hunger was sore on him and he was worn out with fatigue. Coming to a villagehe entered a mosquewhere he sat down on a matleaning his back against the walland presently sank to the groundin extremity for hunger and wearinessand lay there till morning，his heart fluttering for want of food. By reason of his sweating，vermin coursed over his skinhis breath grew fetid and he became in sorry case. When the people of the town came to pray the morning-prayerthey found him lying theresick and weak with hungeryet showing signs of gentle breeding. As soon as they had done their devotionsthey came up to him and finding him cold and starvingthrew over him an old mantle with ragged sleeves and said to him'O strangerwhence art thou and what ails thee？'