Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/151

139 Then he walked on along the beach and turned right and left, till he saw people gathered together on the beach and heard them say, ‘O Muslims, there abideth no sanctity in the city of Alexandria, since the Franks enter it and snatch away those who are therein and return to their own land at their leisure, unpursued of any of the Muslims or men-of-war!’ Quoth Noureddin to them, ‘What is to do?’ And they answered, ‘O my son, one of the ships of the Franks, full of armed men, came down but now upon the harbour and carried off a ship that was moored here, with her who was therein, and made for their own land unhindered.’ Noureddin fell down in a swoon, on hearing these words; and when he came to himself, they questioned him of his case and he told them all that had befallen him; whereupon they all fell to blaming him and railing at him, saying, ‘Why couldst thou not bring her up into the town without veil and muffler?’ And each gave him some grievous word, berating him with sharp speech, and shot at him each his shaft of reproach, albeit some said, ‘Let him be; that which hath befallen him sufficeth him,’ till he again fell down in a swoon.

At this moment, up came the old druggist, who, seeing the folk gathered together, drew near to learn what was the matter and found Noureddin lying aswoon in their midst. So he sat down at his head and arousing him, said to him, ‘O my son, what is this case in which I see thee?’ ‘O uncle,’ replied Noureddin, ‘I had brought back my slave-girl, whom I lost, from her father’s city, after suffering all manner of perils and hardships; and when I came hither with her, I made the vessel fast to the shore and leaving her therein, repaired to thy dwelling and took of thy wife what was needful for her, that I might bring her up into the city; but the Franks came and taking the ship and the damsel