Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/330

318 my part, I sought thee in vain and sent my slaves and servants to make search for thee in all the inns and other places; but they knew not whither thou hadst gone, nor could any give me news of thee.’ Quoth Abousir, ‘Did I not come to thee and didst thou not make me out a thief and beat me and disgrace me before the folk?’

At this Aboukir made a show of concern and said, ‘What manner of talk is this? Was it thou whom I beat?’ ‘Yes,’ answered Abousir, ‘it was I.’ Whereupon Aboukir swore to him a thousand oaths that he knew him not and said, ‘There was a fellow like unto thee, who used to come every day and steal the people’s stuff, and I took thee for him.’ And he went on to feign repentance, beating hand upon hand and saying, ‘There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme! Indeed, I have sinned against thee; but would that thou hadst made thyself known to me and said, “I am such an one!” Indeed the fault is with thee, for that thou madest not thyself known unto me, more by token that I was distraught for much business.’ ‘God pardon thee, O my comrade!’ replied Abousir. ‘This was fore-ordained, and reparation is with God. Enter and put off thy clothes and bathe at thine ease.’ ‘I conjure thee by Allah, O my brother,’ said the dyer, ‘forgive me!’ And Abousir said, ‘God acquit thee of blame and forgive thee! Indeed this thing was decreed to me from all eternity.’

Then said Aboukir, ‘Whence gottest thou this lordship?’ ‘He who prospered thee prospered me,’ answered Abousir. ‘For I went up to the king and set forth to him the fashion of the bath, and he bade me build one.’ And the dyer said, ‘Even as thou art an acquaintance of the king, so also am I; and God willing, I will make him love and tender thee more than ever, for my sake; for he knows not that thou art my comrade; but I will tell him of this and commend thee to him.’ ‘There needs no