Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/294

272 anguish ceased and my heart was comforted. So I took off the clothes I was wearing and gave them to the old woman; and she said, ‘Be of good cheer.’ ‘There is no pain left in me,’ answered I; and she went away. My household and friends rejoiced in my restoration to health, and I abode thus till Friday, when the old woman entered and asked me how I did, to which I replied that I was well and in good case. Then I dressed and perfumed myself and sat down to await the going in of the folk to the mosque, that I might betake myself to the young lady. But the old woman said to me, ‘Thou hast time and to spare; so thou wouldst do well to go to the bath and have thy head shaved, to do away the traces of thy disorder.’ ‘It is well thought,’ answered I; ‘I will first have my head shaved and then go to the bath.’ Then I said to my servant, ‘Go to the market and bring me a barber, and look that he be no meddler, but a man of sense, who will not split my head with his much talk.’ So he went out and returned with this wretched old man. When he came in, he saluted me, and I returned his salutation. Then said he, ‘Surely, I see thee thin of body.’ And I replied, ‘I have been ill.’ Quoth he, ‘God cause affliction and trouble and anxiety to depart from thee!’ ‘May God hear thy prayer!’ answered I: and he said, ‘Be of good cheer, O my lord, for indeed recovery is come to thee. Dost thou wish to be polled or let blood? Indeed, it is reported, on the authority of Ibn Abbas (whom God accept!), that the Prophet said, “Whoso is polled on a Friday, God shall avert from him threescore and ten diseases;” and again, “He who is cupped on a Friday is safe from loss of sight and a host of other ailments.”’ ‘Leave this talk,’ said I; ‘come, shave my head at once, for I am yet weak.’ With this he pulled out a handkerchief, from which he took an astrolabe with seven plates, mounted