Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/180

156 whose men they were and whither they were bound; to which they made answer, saying, ‘We are bound for Irak, to kill Gherib and all who are with him.’ When the Marids heard this, they repaired to the pavilion of the Persian general, whose name was Rustem, and waited till the soldiers slept, when they took up Rustem, bed and all, and made for Gherib’s camp. They arrived there by midnight and going to the door of the King’s pavilion, said, ‘Permission;’ which when the latter heard, he sat up and said, ‘Enter.’ So they entered and set down the couch with Rustem asleep thereon. Quoth Gherib, ‘Who is this?’ and they answered, ‘This is a Persian prince, whom we met coming with a great host, thinking to slay thee and thine; and we have brought him to thee, that he may tell thee what thou hast a mind to know.’ ‘Fetch me a hundred men,’ said Gherib, and they fetched them; whereupon he made them draw their swords and stand at Rustem’s head.

Then they awoke him and he opened his eyes and finding a vault of steel over his head, shut them again, saying, ‘What is this foul dream?’ But Kailjan pricked him with his sword-point and he sat up and said ‘Where am I?’ Quoth Sehim, ‘Thou art in the presence of King Gherib, son-in-law of the King of the Persians. What is thy name and whither goest thou?’ When Rustem heard Gherib’s name, he bethought himself and said, ‘Am I asleep or on wake?’ Whereupon Sehim dealt him a buffet, saying, ‘Why dost thou not answer?’ And he raised his head and said, ‘Who brought me from my tent out of the midst of my men?’ Quoth Gherib, ‘These two Marids brought thee.’ So he looked at them and voided in his hose [for affright]. Then the Marids fell upon him, baring their tusks and brandishing their swords, and said to him, ‘Wilt thou not rise and kiss the earth before King Gherib?’ and he trembled at them and was assured that he was