1. X.

    X.

  2. Baronen reiser til Kairo.

    The Baron travels to Cairo.

  3. Da vi endnu har tid til at tømme en flaske vin, mine herrer, vil jeg fortælle en høist forunderlig oplevelse, som jeg hadde nogen maaneder før min tilbakekomst til Europa.

    Since we still have time to finish a bottle of wine, gentlemen, I will tell you a most wondrous experience I had a few months before my return to Europe.

  4. Storsultanen, for hvem jeg var blit presentert av den keiserlig russiske, den keiserlig romerske og den kongelige franske gesant, overdrog mig at utrette en sak av høieste vigtighet i Kairo, men av hvad beskaffenhet denne sak var, maa for bestandig forbli en dyp hemmelighet.

    The Grand Sultan, to whom I had been presented by the Imperial Russian, Imperial Roman, and Royal French envoys, entrusted me to carry out a matter of the utmost importance in Cairo, but as to the nature of this matter, it must forever remain a deep secret.

  5. Jeg reiste landeveien med stor pomp og et talrig følge, men før jeg naadde reisens maal, var jeg saa heldig at forøke reiseselskapet med nogen høist merkværdige medlemmer av menneskeslægten.

    I traveled by road with great pomp and a numerous retinue, but before I reached the journey's end, I was fortunate enough to enlarge our traveling party with some highly remarkable members of the human race.

  6. Jeg var bare kommet nogen faa mil fra Konstantinopel, da jeg saa en tynd, smekker mand løpe avsted over markerne med utrolig hurtighet, endskjønt han ved hver fot hadde fæstet en jernkule paa mindst et par skippunds vegt.

    I had only gone a few miles from Constantinople when I saw a thin, slender man running across the fields with incredible speed, even though he had an iron ball weighing at least a couple of ship pounds fastened to each foot.

  7. Forbauset herover ropte jeg til ham:

    Astonished by this, I called out to him:

  8. «Hvorhen saa hurtig, gode ven? og hvorfor har du hængt disse vegter paa dig? de kan da bare være til besvær!»

    “Where to so fast, good friend? And why have you attached these weights to yourself? Surely they can only be a nuisance!”

  9. «Jeg forlot Wien for en halv time siden, naadige herre,» svarte han.

    “I left Vienna half an hour ago, gracious sir,” he replied.

  10. «Jeg tjente der hos en fornem herre, fra ham har jeg tat avsked. Jeg agter mig nu til Konstantinopel for at søke mig en ny plads. Da jeg ikke har bruk for al min hurtighet, forminsker jeg den ved hjælp av denne vegt, for moderata durant som min gamle lærer pleide at si.»

    “I served a distinguished gentleman there, and I have taken my leave of him. I am now heading to Constantinople to seek a new position. Since I have no need for all my speed, I reduce it with the help of these weights, for *moderata durant*, as my old teacher used to say.”

  11. Fyren behaget mig saa godt, at jeg spurte ham om han vilde ta tjeneste hos mig, og til det var han straks villig.

    The fellow pleased me so well that I asked him if he would enter my service, and to that he was immediately willing.

  12. Vi reiste derpaa videre gjennem mange land og mange byer.

    We then traveled onward through many countries and many cities.

  13. En dag fik jeg se en mand ligge ubevægelig paa jorden ikke langt fra kongeveien.

    One day I spotted a man lying motionless on the ground not far from the highway.

  14. Han syntes at sove, men gjorde det dog ikke, for han laa med det ene øre ned paa marken, som om han med den største opmerksomhet lyttet efter noget.

    He seemed to be asleep, but was not, for he lay with one ear down on the ground, as if listening with the greatest attention for something.

  15. «Hvad lytter du efter, min ven?»

    “What are you listening for, my friend?”

  16. spurte jeg.

    I asked.

  17. «Aa jeg morer mig med at høre græsset gro,» svarte han.

    “Oh, I'm amusing myself by listening to the grass grow,” he replied.

  18. «Og det kan du virkelig høre?»

    “And you can actually hear that?”

  19. «Det og mere til.»

    “That and more.”

  20. «Kom da i min tjeneste, min ven! Hvem vet, om ikke en ambassadør kan faa nytte av et fint øre.»

    “Then enter my service, my friend! Who knows if an ambassador might not find a fine ear useful.”

  21. Fyren sprang op og fulgte med os.

    The fellow sprang up and came along with us.

  22. Ikke langt derfra paa en bakke saa jeg en jæger staa med en bøsse, som han i et væk skjøt av i luften.

    Not far from there on a hill, I saw a hunter standing with a gun, firing it continuously into the air.

  23. «God lykke til jagten,» ropte jeg,

    “Good luck with the hunt,” I called out,

  24. «men hvad skyter du paa, for jeg kan ikke se andet end den blaa himmel?»

    “but what are you shooting at, for I can see nothing but the blue sky?”

  25. «Aa,» svarte han,

    “Oh,” he replied,

  26. «jeg prøver bare en fuglebøsse, som jeg har faat fra Kuchenreicher i Regensburg. Jeg skjøt netop nu en spurv som sat paa spiret av Strassburgs domkirke.»

    “I am merely testing a fowling piece that I received from Kuchenreicher in Regensburg. I just now shot a sparrow perched on the spire of Strasbourg Cathedral.”

  27. Enhver som kjender min kjærlighet til jagtens ædle idræt, vil ikke forundre sig over at jeg øieblikkelig faldt denne ualmindelige skytter om halsen.

    Anyone who knows my love for the noble sport of hunting will not be surprised that I instantly fell upon the neck of this extraordinary marksman.

  28. Jeg skyndte mig naturligvis at sikre mig ham.

    Naturally, I hastened to secure his services.

  29. Vi fortsatte vor reise og reiste gjennem stæder og land og naadde tilslut Libanon.

    We continued our journey, traveling through towns and countries, and at last reached Lebanon.

  30. En dag opdaget jeg i utkanten av en cederskog en undersætsig, kraftig kar, som i sin høire haand holdt et taug som saa ut til at være slynget rundt hele skogen.

    One day, at the edge of a cedar forest, I spotted a stocky, powerful fellow holding in his right hand a rope that appeared to be looped around the entire forest.

  31. «Hvad er det du trækker paa, min ven?»

    “What are you pulling on, my friend?”

  32. spurte jeg.

    I asked.

  33. «Aa jeg skulde bare fælde noget tømmer, og jeg har glemt øksen hjemme. Derfor faar jeg se at hjælpe mig saa godt jeg kan.»

    “Oh, I was just going to fell some timber, and I forgot my axe at home. So I must see about managing as best I can.”

  34. Med disse ord drog han til og rev hele skogen ned i et eneste tak likesaa let, som om det hadde været en haandfuld siv.

    With these words, he gave a tug and pulled the entire forest down in a single pull, just as easily as if it had been a handful of reeds.

  35. Man kan let skjønne hvad jeg nu gjorde.

    One can easily understand what I did next.

  36. Jeg vilde heller ha opgit min stilling som gesant end git slip paa denne skoghugger.

    I would rather have given up my position as envoy than let go of this lumberjack.

  37. Da vi kom nær Ægyptens grænser, opstod der med engang en saa frygtelig storm, at jeg var ræd for at blaase bort med hele mit følge og al min bagage.

    When we drew near the borders of Egypt, a storm so dreadful suddenly arose that I was terrified of being blown away with my entire retinue and all my baggage.

  38. Paa veiens ene side var der syv vindmøller, hvis vinger gik likesaa hurtig rundt som den flittigste spindekones rokkehjul.

    On one side of the road were seven windmills, whose sails spun as fast as the spinning wheel of the most industrious spinning woman.

  39. Ikke langt borte stod en mand, saa tyk som Falstaff, og holdt hele tiden pekefingeren paa sit høire næsebor.

    Not far away stood a man, as fat as Falstaff, holding his index finger to his right nostril the entire time.

  40. Da han saa i hvilken nød vi var, og hvorledes vi forgjæves kjæmpet mot stormen, kom han bort til os og tok ydmyg hatten av sig, som en soldat for sin oberst.

    When he saw the distress we were in, and how we struggled in vain against the storm, he came over to us and humbly took off his hat, like a soldier before his colonel.

  41. Vinden stilnet øieblikkelig, og de syv møller stod stille.

    The wind abated instantly, and the seven windmills stood still.

  42. Høist overrasket over dette, som jeg syntes stred mot naturens orden, sa jeg til manden:

    Highly astonished by this, which seemed to me to defy the order of nature, I said to the man:

  43. «Er du besat av den onde, eller kanske du er ham selv i egen høie person?»

    “Are you possessed by the evil one, or perhaps are you he himself in his own high person?”

  44. «Om forladelse, Deres velbaarenhet,» sa han,

    “I beg your pardon, Your Worship,” he said,

  45. «jeg gjorde bare litt vind for min herre mølleren, og for ikke at rive møllene ned blæste jeg bare gjennem det ene næsebor.»

    “I was merely making a little wind for my master the miller, and so as not to tear the mills down, I blew through only one nostril.”

  46. «Her er nok en mand for dig,» tænkte jeg,

    “Here is yet another man for you,” thought I,

  47. «han kan bli rent uundværlig naar du kommer hjem, og lungerne ikke rækker til for at fortælle alle de underbare ting, som hændte dig under dine reiser tillands og tilvands.»

    “he may prove quite indispensable when you return home and your lungs are not sufficient to tell all the wondrous things that befell you during your travels by land and by sea.”

  48. Vi kom snart til enighet og han forlot sin møller og fulgte med.

    We soon reached an agreement, and he left his miller and came along.

  49. Det var paa tide at komme frem til Kairo.

    It was about time to arrive in Cairo.

  50. Saasnart jeg hadde utført mit vigtige ærinde til min tilfredshet, besluttet jeg mig at avskedige hele mit følge, undtagen de sidst antagne talentfulde mænd og i deres selskap tiltræde reisen hjem som privatmand.

    As soon as I had carried out my important errand to my satisfaction, I decided to dismiss my entire retinue, except for the recently hired talented men, and in their company set off on the journey home as a private citizen.

  51. Da veiret var straalende og Nilen mere henrivende end jeg kan beskrive, fik jeg det indfald at leie en baat og reise til Alexandria.

    Since the weather was glorious and the Nile more enchanting than I can describe, I took it into my head to hire a boat and travel to Alexandria.

  52. Alt gik ogsaa godt indtil den tredje dag.

    All went well, too, until the third day.

  53. De har vistnok allesammen, mine herrer, hørt tale om Nilens aarlige oversvømmelser.

    You have all surely heard, gentlemen, of the annual flooding of the Nile.

  54. Paa min reises tredje dag begyndte den at stige i en forbausende grad, og den følgende dag bedækket den hele landet milevidt paa begge sider, saa langt vi kunde øine.

    On the third day of my journey, it began to rise to an astonishing degree, and the following day it covered the entire land for miles on both sides, as far as the eye could see.

  55. Den femte dag blev min baat indviklet i noget som jeg først tok for siv; men næste morgen fandt vi at vi sat fast i en skog av mandeltrær, hvis frugter var aldeles modne og udmerket velsmakende.

    On the fifth day, my boat became entangled in something I at first took to be reeds; but the next morning we found that we were stuck in a forest of almond trees, whose fruit was perfectly ripe and exceptionally delicious.

  56. Ved at lodde fandt mine folk at vi var paa mindst 60 fot vand, og at det var aldeles umulig for os at komme enten frem eller tilbake.

    By taking soundings, my men found that we were in at least 60 feet of water, and that it was absolutely impossible for us to go either forward or backward.

  57. Klokken var 8 eller 9 om aftenen, saavidt jeg kunde skjønne av solens stilling, da der med engang opstod en voldsom bris som kantret vor baat, saa den fyldtes med vand og sank.

    It was 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening, as far as I could tell from the position of the sun, when suddenly a violent gale arose that capsized our boat, so that it filled with water and sank.

  58. I lang tid hørte eller saa jeg intet til baaten.

    For a long time, I neither heard nor saw anything of the boat.

  59. Lykkeligvis reddet vi os dog allesammen, otte mænd og to gutter paa det vis, at vi allesammen klynget os til træets grener som nok var istand til at bære os, men ikke vor baat.

    Fortunately, however, all of us saved ourselves, eight men and two boys, by clinging to the branches of the tree, which were indeed able to bear us, though not our boat.

  60. I denne stilling forblev vi i seks uker og tre dage og levde hele tiden udelukkende av mandler.

    In this position we remained for six weeks and three days, living the entire time exclusively on almonds.

  61. At vi ikke led mangel paa vand er vel overflødig at fortælle.

    That we did not suffer from a lack of water is probably superfluous to mention.

  62. Paa den en og firtiende dag faldt vandet likesaa pludselig, som det hadde steget, saa vi fire dage senere kunde sætte foten paa tørt land.

    On the forty-first day, the water receded just as suddenly as it had risen, so that four days later we could set foot on dry land.

  63. Baaten var den første gjenstand, som møtte vort øie; den laa omtrent 200 alen fra det sted, hvor den hadde sunket.

    The boat was the first object that met our eyes; it lay about 200 fathoms from the spot where it had sunk.

  64. Saasnart vi hadde tørret alt som var nyttig for os i solen, og belæsset os med det nødvendigste fra vore forraad ombord, skyndte vi os avsted for at komme ned til floden.

    As soon as we had dried everything useful to us in the sun and laden ourselves with the most necessary supplies from aboard, we hurried off to reach the river.

  65. Efter min nøieste beregning var vi blit ført 150 mil over akre, haver og indhegnede strækninger.

    By my most precise calculation, we had been carried 150 miles across fields, gardens, and enclosed lands.

  66. Vi gik i syv dage, før vi naadde floden som nu fløt rolig i sit eget leie.

    We walked for seven days before reaching the river, which was now flowing calmly in its own bed.

  67. Vi fortalte vort uheld til en bey som venlig skaffet os, hvad vi behøvde og overlot os en av sine egne baater.

    We recounted our misfortune to a bey, who kindly provided us with what we needed and handed over one of his own boats to us.

  68. Seks dage efter naadde vi Alexandria, hvorfra vi tok skibsleilighet til Konstantinopel.

    Six days later we reached Alexandria, from where we secured passage by ship to Constantinople.

  69. Jeg blev overmaade naadig mottat av storsultanen, som gjorde mig den ære at vise mig sit harem.

    I was received most graciously by the Grand Sultan, who did me the honor of showing me his harem.

  70. Blandt det store antal skjønheter fra alle verdens kanter kunde jeg vælge saa mange jeg fandt for godt.

    Among the vast number of beauties from all corners of the world, I could choose as many as I saw fit.