Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/90

72 departed for Bassora. Three days after, his friend came to visit him, but finding him not, asked the neighbours of him; and they answered, ‘He set out three days ago for Bassora, for he had dealings with merchants there and is gone thither to collect his debts; but he will soon return.’ The man was confounded at the news and knew not whither to go; and he said in himself, ‘Would I had not parted with Aboulhusn!’ Then he bethought him how he should gain access to Ali ben Bekkar and repairing to the latter’s lodging, said to one of his servants, ‘Ask leave for me of thy master that I may go in and salute him.’ So the servant went in and told his master and presently returning, invited the man to enter. So he went in and found Ali ben Bekkar lying back on the pillow and saluted him. Ali returned his greeting and bade him welcome; whereupon the other began to excuse himself for having held aloof from him all this while and added, ‘O my lord, there was a close friendship between Aboulhusn and myself, so that I used to trust him with my secrets and could not brook to be severed from him an hour. It chanced but now that I was absent three days’ space on certain business with a company of my friends, and when I came back, I found his shop shut; so I asked the neighbours of him and they replied, “He is gone to Bassora.” Now I know he had no surer friend than thou; so I conjure thee, by Allah, to tell me what thou knowest of him.’ When Ali heard this, his colour changed and he was troubled and answered, ‘I never heard of his departure till this day, and if it be as thou sayest, weariness is come upon me.’ And he repeated the following verses:

Then he bent his head awhile in thought and presently