Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/67

49 But his Lord gave him fortune fair and brought him those he loved. In all God doth are monishments for men to meditate. Glory to Him whose providence embraces all that be, Whose presence ever near to us, clear proofs do intimate. He is the Near One, whom no wit conceiveth nor indeed Days’ journeys nearer bring to us nor of His distance bate! ABOULHUSN ED DURRAJ AND ABOU JAAFER THE LEPER.

(Quoth Aboulhusn ed Durraj), I had been many times to Mecca (which God increase in honour) and the folk used to follow me by reason of my knowledge of the road and the watering-places. It chanced one year that I was minded to make the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God and visit the tomb of His prophet (on whom be peace and blessing), and I said to myself, ‘I know the road and will go alone.’ So I set out and journeyed till I came to El Cadesiyeh and entering the mosque there, saw a leper seated in the prayer-niche. When he saw me, he said to me, ‘O Aboulhusn, I crave thy company to Mecca.’ [sic] Quoth I to myself, ‘I wished to avoid companions, and how shall I company with lepers?’ So I said to him, ‘I will bear no one company.’ And he was silent.

Next day I continued my journey alone, till I came to Acabeh, where I entered the mosque and was amazed to find the leper seated in the prayer-niche. ‘Glory be to God!’ said I in myself. ‘How hath this fellow foregone me hither?’ But he raised his eyes to me and said, smiling, ‘O Aboulhusn, He doth for the weak that which the strong wonder at!’ I passed that night in perplexity, confounded at what I had seen, and in the morning set out again by myself; but when I came to Arafat and entered the mosque, behold, there was the leper seated in the

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