第59章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(34)

And the Khalif said'I grant thee this.'So Jaafer went out from before him and returned to his housefull of sorrow and saying to himself'How shall I find him who killed the damselthat I may bring him before the Khalif？ If I bring other than the right manit will be laid to my charge by God. IndeedI know not what to do.'Then he kept his house three daysand on the fourth day，the Khalif sent one of his chamberlains for him and said to him，'Where is the murderer of the damsel？'O Commander of the Faithful，'replied the Vizier'am I inspector of murdered folk，that I should know who killed her？'The Khalif was enraged at his answer and commanded to hang him before his palace-gate and that proclamation should be made in the streets of Baghdad'Whoso hath a mind to witness the hanging of Jaafer the Barmecide，Vizier of the Khalifand of forty of his kinbefore the gate of the Khalif's palacelet him come out to see！'So the people came out from all quarters to witness the execution of Jaafer and his kinsmennot knowing the reason. Then they set up the gallows and made Jaafer and the others stand underneath in readiness；but whilst they awaited the Khalif's signal for the execution and the people wept for Jaafer and his kinsmenbeholda handsome and well-dressed young manwith shining face and bright black eyes，flower-white foreheaddowny whiskers and rosy cheeks and a mole like a grain of ambergrispressed through the crowdtill he stood before Jaafer and said to him'I come to deliver thee from this straitO chief of the Amirs and refuge of the poor！I am he who killed the woman ye found in the chest；so hang me for her and do her justice on me！'When Jaafer heard thishe rejoiced at his own deliverancebut grieved for the young man；and whilst they were yet talkingbeholda man far advanced in years made his way when he saluted them and said'O Vizier and noble lord，credit not what this young man says. None killed the damsel but I；so do thou avenge her on meor I do accuse thee before God the Most High.'Then said the youth'O Vizierthis is a doting old manwho knows not what he says：it was I killed herso do thou avenge her on me.'O my son，'said the old man'thou art young and desirest the things of the worldand I am old and weary of the world. I will ransom thee and the Vizier and his kinsmen with my life. None killed the damsel but I；so God on theemake haste to hang meor there is no living for me after her！'The Vizier marvelled at all this and taking the youth and the old mancarried them before the Khalif and said to him'Commander of the FaithfulI bring thee the murderer of the damsel.'Where is he？'asked the Khalifand Jaafer answered，'This youth says he killed herbut this old man gives him the lie and affirms that he himself killed her： and beholdthey are both in thy hands.'The Khalif looked at them and said'Which of you killed the damsel？'The youth replied'It was I.'And the old man'Indeednone killed her but myself.'Then the Khalif said to Jaafer'Take them and hang them both.'But the Vizier replied'If one of them be the murdererto hang the other were unjust.'By Him who vaulted the heavens and spread out the earth like a carpet，'cried the youth'it was I killed her！'And he set forth the circumstance of her death and how they had found her bodyso that the Khalif was certified that he was the murdererwhereat he wondered and said to him'Why didst thou slay the damsel wrongfully and what made thee come and accuse thyself thus and confess thy crime without being beaten？'Know，O Commander of the Faithful，'answered the young man'that this damsel was my wife and the daughter of this old manwho is my father's brotherand she was a virgin when I married her. God blessed me with three male children by herand she loved me and served meand I also loved her with an exceeding love and saw no evil in her. We lived happily together till the beginning of this monthwhen she fell grievously ill.