burton--1001-nights--sample

upon, an ill-omened spectacle; sordid, ungenerous, full of envy and
evil will. When this Minister saw the King place the physician near him
and give him all these gifts, he jaloused him and planned to do him a
harm, as in the saying on such subject, “Envy lurks in every body;” and
the saying, “Oppression hideth in every heart: power revealeth it and
weakness concealeth it.” Then the Minister came before the King and,
kissing the ground between his hands, said, “O King of the age and of
all time, thou in whose benefits I have grown to manhood, I have
weighty advice to offer thee, and if I withhold it I were a son of
adultery and no true-born man; wherefore an thou order me to disclose
it I will so do forthwith.”
Quoth the King (and he was troubled at the words of the Minister),
“And what is this counsel of thine?” Quoth he, “O glorious monarch,
the wise of old have said: — Whoso regardeth not the end, hath not
Fortune to friend; and indeed I have lately seen the King on far other
than the right way; for he lavisheth largesse on his enemy, on one
whose object is the decline and fall of his kingship: to this man he hath
shown favour, honouring him with over honour and making of him an
intimate. Wherefore I fear for the King’s life.”
The King, who was much troubled and changed colour, asked,
“Whom dost thou suspect and anent whom doest thou hint?” and the
Minister answered, “O King, an thou be asleep, wake up! I point to the
physician Duban.”
Rejoined the King, “Fie upon thee! This is a true friend who is
favoured by me above all men, because he cured me with something
which I held in my hand, and he healed my leprosy which had baffled
all physicians; indeed he is one whose like may not be found in these
days — no, not in the whole world from furthest east to utmost west!
And it is of such a man thou sayest such hard sayings. Now from
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