The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, vol 4 | Page 8

tricks upon me and steal-my slave-girl away from my
house? I will assuredly complain of thee to the Commander of the
Faithful." Said the Chief of Police, "Who hath taken her?" and Ni'amah
replied, "An old woman of such and such a mien, clad in woollen
raiment and carrying a rosary of beads numbered by thousands."

Rejoined the other, "Find me the old woman and I will get thee back
thy slave-girl." "And who knows the old woman?" retorted Ni'amah.
"And who knows the hidden things save Allah (may He be extolled and
exalted!)?" cried the Chief, who knew her for Al-Hajjaj's procuress.
Cried Ni'amah, "I look to thee for my slave-girl, and Al-Hajjaj shall
judge between thee and me;" and the Master of Police answered, "Go to
whom thou wilt." So Ni'amah went to the palace of Al-Hajjaj, for his
father was one of the chief men of Cufa; and, when he arrived there, the
Chamberlain went in to the Governor and told him the case; whereupon
Al-Hajjaj said, "Hither with him!" and when he stood before him
enquired, "What be thy business?" Said Ni'amah, "Such and such things
have befallen me;" and the Governor said, "Bring me the Chief of
Police, and we will commend him to seek for the old woman." Now he
knew that the Chief of Police was acquainted with her; so, when he
came, he said to him, "I wish thee to make search for the slave-girl of
Ni'amah son of Al-Rabi'a." And he answered, "None knoweth the
hidden things save Almighty Allah." Rejoined Al-Hajjaj, "There is no
help for it but thou send out horsemen and look for the damsel in all the
roads, and seek for her in the towns."--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-First Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Al-Hajjaj said to
the Captain of the Watch, "There is no help for it but thou send out
horsemen, and look for the damsel on all the roads and seek for her in
the towns." Then he turned to Ni'amah and said to him, "And thy
slave-girl return not, I will give thee ten slave-girls from my house and
ten from that of the Chief of Police." And he again bade the Captain of
the Watch, "Go and seek for the girl." So he went out, and Ni'amah
returned home full of trouble and despairing of life; for he had now
reached the age of fourteen and there was yet no hair on his side cheeks.
So he wept and lamented and shut himself up from his household; and
ceased not to weep and lament, he and his mother, till the morning,
when his father came in to him and said, "O my son, of a truth,
Al-Hajjaj hath put a cheat upon the damsel and hath taken her; but from
hour to hour Allah giveth relief." However grief redoubled on Ni'amah,

so that he knew not what he said nor knew he who came in to him, and
he fell sick for three months his charms were changed, his father
despaired of him and the physicians visited him and said, "There is no
remedy for him save the damsel." Now as his father was sitting one day,
behold he heard tell of a skillful Persian physician, whom the folk gave
out for perfect in medicine and astrology and geomancy. So Al-Rabi'a
sent for him and, seating him by his side, entreated him with honour
and said to him, "Look into my son's case." Thereupon quoth he to
Ni'amah, "Give me thy hand." The young man gave him his hand and
he felt his pulse and his joints and looked in his face; then he laughed
and, turning to his father, said, "Thy son's sole ailment is one of the
heart."[FN#12] He replied, Thou sayest sooth, O sage, but apply thy
skill to his state and case, and acquaint me with the whole thereof and
hide naught from me of his condition." Quoth the Persian, "Of a truth
he is enamoured of a slave-girl and this slave-girl is either in Bassorah
or Damascus; and there is no remedy for him but reunion with her."
Said Al-Rabi'a, "An thou bring them together, thou shalt live all thy life
in wealth and delight." Answered the Persian, "In good sooth this be an
easy matter and soon brought about," and he turned to Ni'amah and said
to him, "No hurt shall befall thee; so be of good cheer and keep thine
eyes cool and clear." Then quoth he to Al-Rabi'a, "Bring me out four
thousand dinars of your money;" so he gave them to him, and he added,
"I wish to carry thy son with