Then he drew his right arm out from his sleeve, and behold, it was a stump without a hand, the latter having been cut off at the wrist. If with Selma I company now and harbour with Leila no more, Believe me, 'tis none of my will needs must, if necessity bid. Belike something ails thy right hand?" When he heard my words, he recited the following verses:Īsk not, I prithee, my friend, of the anguish that burns in my heart 'Twould but the infirmities show that now in my bosom lie hid. Then we sat talking, after I had set sweetmeats before him, and I said to him, "O my lord, I prithee relieve my mind by telling me why thou eatest with thy left hand. When we had done eating, I poured water on his hand and gave him wherewith to wipe it. At the end of the year he came again, dressed even more richly than before, and I conjured him to dismount and eat of my victual and he said to me, "I consent, on condition that what thou expendest on me shall be of my money in thy hands." "So be it," replied I, and made him sit down, whilst I made ready what was needful of meat and drink and so forth and set the tray before him, saying, "In the name of God." So he came to the table and put out his left hand and ate with me and I wondered at his using his left hand. When I saw him, I rose and saluted him and kissed his hand, saying, "O my lord, wilt thou not take thy money?" "What hurry is there?" replied he "wait till I have made an end of my business, when I will come and take it." Then he went away, and I said to myself, "By Allah, when he comes next time, I must press him to eat with me," for I had traded with his money and profited largely by it. #STORYO VS SCRIVENER FULL#In grace and beauty they increase and aye more perfect grow: All souls yearn out to them for love, all hearts to them incline.īlessed be God, whose creatures are so full of wonderment! Whate'er He wills He fashions forth, even as He doth design. Their beauty stirs all those that see to passion and to love: Good luck to them, for that they move to ravishment divine! Within one mansion of the sky the sun and moon combine With all fair fortune and delight of goodliness they shine. His face shone like the moon at its full and he seemed as if he had just come from the bath, with his rosy cheeks and flower-white forehead and mole like a grain of ambergris, even as says the poet: So I fetched the dirhems and sat awaiting him but he did not come near me for another month, and I said, "Verily, this young man is the incarnation of liberality." At the end of the month, he came up, riding on a mule and clad in sumptuous raiment. I saw no more of him for a month, at the end of which time he came to me and said, "Where is the money?" I rose and saluted him and said to him, "Wilt thou not eat somewhat with me?" But he refused, saying, "Get the money ready, and I will come back for it." So I brought out the money and sat down to await his return, but saw no more of him for another month, at the end of which time he came to me and said, "Where is the money?" I rose and saluted him and said, "Wilt thou not eat a morsel with me?" But he refused, saying, "Have the money ready against my return," and rode away. Then said he to me, "Thou shalt have ten dirhems an ardebb to thy brokerage so take the price and lay by four thousand five hundred dirhems for me and when I have made an end of selling my other goods, I will come to thee and take the amount." "It is well," replied I, and kissed his hand and went away, having made that day a profit of a thousand dirhems, besides the brokerage. As soon as he saw me, he rose and opened his magazines, and we measured the contents and found them fifty ardebbs of sesame, making five thousand dirhems. Next day, I took four gaugers and carried them to the Khan, where I found him awaiting me. Then he pulled out a handkerchief, containing a sample of sesame, and said to me, "What is the worth of an ardebb of this?" "A hundred dirhems," replied I and he said, "Take porters and measures and come to-morrow to the Khan of El Jaweli, by the Gate of Victory, where thou wilt find me." Then he went away, leaving with me the handkerchief containing the sample of sesame and I went round to the buyers and agreed for a hundred and twenty dirhems an ardebb. When he saw me, he saluted me, and I rose to do him honour. One day, as I was sitting in my shop, there came up to me a young man as handsome as could be, richly clad and riding on an ass. My father was a broker, and when I came to man's estate, he died and I became a broker in his stead. I am by birth a Copt, and a native of Cairo, where I was brought up. 1- Story of The Hunchback: The Christian Broker's Story
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