Read Online Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Hardcover Classics) by Malcolm C (Tr Lyons - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Malcolm C (Tr Lyons
Ads: Link
in the moonlight. They went on like this until dawn, by which time they fell into a drunken sleep to make up for their sleepless night. While they were unconscious Kaukab got up, exclaiming: ‘God is greater!’, and cut their throats before dragging them to the river, into which they sank like stones.
Kaukab then removed the stake to which the boat was moored, and it set off as fast as lightning. It was only a short time before he came in sight of land, where people were swarming like locusts. Porters came and removed the boat’s cargo, taking it to an inn and leaving the boat moored to the shore. Kaukab himself put on magnificent clothes and started to go around the city inspecting its shops.
So much for him, but as for the drowned bodies of the blacks, when they floated to the surface, people cried out that their throats had been cut, and word of this reached the chamberlain. He and the sultan came with three others and when they had looked at the faces, the sultan said: ‘Let them go to hell.’ One of them, however, whose name was ‘Umar, was recognized, and the chamberlain sent his servant to the citadel, where the doorkeeper was given the news. He went to the black slave, who had taken the food to the boat and who was mortally afraid of him, and asked him about those who had been on board. He named them one by one and added that with them had been a young boy with a moon-like face who said that he was your eldest son. On hearing this, the chamberlain told him to go off and to say nothing if anyone questioned him.
The chamberlain thought over the details of his plan and asked those around him whether anyone had come ashore from the boat. An old man with jug-like ears and a rope tied round his waist came up to him and said respectfully: ‘Master, I saw someone wearing a face veil followed by two porters who were carrying all his bedding and belongings.’ The chamberlain called for the head porter and consulted him privately, after which the man left briefly before coming back to speak to him and the chamberlain then, surrounded by men, went to the door of the inn.
Before Kaukab knew what was happening, when he looked up therewas the chamberlain and a crowd of people around him. The chamberlain sent a mamluk to tell him to come to his house, which he quickly did, going in and sitting with the mamluk as he was instructed. The chamberlain dismounted and ordered him to be brought to him. ‘Kaukab!’ he exclaimed on seeing him, and when Kaukab answered, he asked what he was doing there. ‘This is something decreed by God,’ Kaukab replied, and when the chamberlain asked where his mother was he said that she was in the city with his father. ‘Whoever suffers does not forget,’ said the chamberlain, ‘and the man who was responsible for this exile of mine will have to put up with this misfortune as the Lord of mankind has put you into my hands.’
On the chamberlain’s orders Kaukab was tied up, thrown down on the ground and beaten until he fainted, after which a heavy brick was tied to his feet and he was left at the side of the house. He stayed like that for ten days in accordance with the will of God and to fulfil the destiny He had decreed, but when the king returned to the city the chamberlain became afraid that someone who had a connection with Kaukab or could recognize him might catch sight of him, and so he removed him by night and put him in a dungeon amongst the thieves. He then went early in the morning to present his services to the king, who greeted him and called him forward to take the seat that he enjoyed thanks to his privileged position. He then told him to order a general release of prisoners in the hope that God might restore him to health after a long illness that had been getting worse since the disappearance of Kaukab – ‘and I wish that I may be his ransom,’ he added.
On hearing this, the chamberlain said: ‘News has come that he has reappeared and entered the city, filling it
Kaukab then removed the stake to which the boat was moored, and it set off as fast as lightning. It was only a short time before he came in sight of land, where people were swarming like locusts. Porters came and removed the boat’s cargo, taking it to an inn and leaving the boat moored to the shore. Kaukab himself put on magnificent clothes and started to go around the city inspecting its shops.
So much for him, but as for the drowned bodies of the blacks, when they floated to the surface, people cried out that their throats had been cut, and word of this reached the chamberlain. He and the sultan came with three others and when they had looked at the faces, the sultan said: ‘Let them go to hell.’ One of them, however, whose name was ‘Umar, was recognized, and the chamberlain sent his servant to the citadel, where the doorkeeper was given the news. He went to the black slave, who had taken the food to the boat and who was mortally afraid of him, and asked him about those who had been on board. He named them one by one and added that with them had been a young boy with a moon-like face who said that he was your eldest son. On hearing this, the chamberlain told him to go off and to say nothing if anyone questioned him.
The chamberlain thought over the details of his plan and asked those around him whether anyone had come ashore from the boat. An old man with jug-like ears and a rope tied round his waist came up to him and said respectfully: ‘Master, I saw someone wearing a face veil followed by two porters who were carrying all his bedding and belongings.’ The chamberlain called for the head porter and consulted him privately, after which the man left briefly before coming back to speak to him and the chamberlain then, surrounded by men, went to the door of the inn.
Before Kaukab knew what was happening, when he looked up therewas the chamberlain and a crowd of people around him. The chamberlain sent a mamluk to tell him to come to his house, which he quickly did, going in and sitting with the mamluk as he was instructed. The chamberlain dismounted and ordered him to be brought to him. ‘Kaukab!’ he exclaimed on seeing him, and when Kaukab answered, he asked what he was doing there. ‘This is something decreed by God,’ Kaukab replied, and when the chamberlain asked where his mother was he said that she was in the city with his father. ‘Whoever suffers does not forget,’ said the chamberlain, ‘and the man who was responsible for this exile of mine will have to put up with this misfortune as the Lord of mankind has put you into my hands.’
On the chamberlain’s orders Kaukab was tied up, thrown down on the ground and beaten until he fainted, after which a heavy brick was tied to his feet and he was left at the side of the house. He stayed like that for ten days in accordance with the will of God and to fulfil the destiny He had decreed, but when the king returned to the city the chamberlain became afraid that someone who had a connection with Kaukab or could recognize him might catch sight of him, and so he removed him by night and put him in a dungeon amongst the thieves. He then went early in the morning to present his services to the king, who greeted him and called him forward to take the seat that he enjoyed thanks to his privileged position. He then told him to order a general release of prisoners in the hope that God might restore him to health after a long illness that had been getting worse since the disappearance of Kaukab – ‘and I wish that I may be his ransom,’ he added.
On hearing this, the chamberlain said: ‘News has come that he has reappeared and entered the city, filling it
Similar Books
