The folk gathered about him, believing him to be Fatimeh the Recluse, and he proceeded to do like as she had been used to do, laying hands on those in pain and reciting for this one the Fatiheh [FN#645] and for that a[nother] chapter of the Koran and praying for a third.  Then, for the much crowding upon him and the clamour of the folk, the Lady Bedrulbudour heard and said to her women, “See what is to do and what is the cause of this noise.”  So the Ada of the eunuchs went to see what was toward and returning, said to her, “O my lady, this clamour is because of the Lady Fatimeh.  An it please thee bid me fetch her to thee, so thou mayst ask a blessing of her ....”  And the Lady Bedrulbudour said to him, “Go and bring her to me; marry, this long while past I have still heard of her gifts and excellences and have yearned to see her, so I may ask a blessing of her, for that the folk are beyond measure abundant [in talk] of her [FN#646] virtues.”  So the Aga went and brought the enchanter, disguised as Fatimeh, before the Lady Bedrulbudour; whereupon the Maugrabin offered up abundance of prayers for her, and none misdoubted of him but that he was Fatimeh the recluse.  The princess rose and saluting him, seated him by her side and said to him, “O my Lady Fatimeh, I will have thee with me alway, that I may be blessed in thee and eke that I may learn of thee the ways of God-service and piety and model myself on thee.”

Now this was what the accursed sorcerer aimed at; however, the better to accomplish his perfidious intent, [FN#647] he [dissembled and] said to her, “O my lady, I am a poor woman sitting in the desert and it beseemeth not that the like of me should abide in kings’ palaces.”  Quoth the Lady Bedrulbudour, “Have no manner of care, O my lady Fatimeh; I will give thee a place in my house, where thou shalt do thy devotions, and none shall ever go in to thee; nay, here shalt thou serve God better than in thy cavern.”  And the Maugrabin said to her, “Hearkening and obedience, O my lady; I will not gainsay thy commandment, for that the speech of princes may not be crossed neither disputed; but I beg of thee that my eating and drinking and sitting may be in my closet alone [and] that none may come in upon me.  Moreover, I need no rich viands, but every day do thou favour me and send me by thy handmaid a piece of bread and a draught of water to my closet; and when I am minded to eat, I will eat in my closet alone.” (Now this the accursed did, of his fear lest his chin veil should be raised, when he ate, and so his case be exposed and they know him for a man by his beard and moustaches.) “O my lady Fatimeh,” rejoined the princess, “be easy; nothing shall betide save that which thou wiliest; so rise now [and come] with me, that I may show thee the pavilion [FN#648] which I purpose to order for thine inhabitance with us.”  So [FN#649] saying, she arose and carrying the sorcerer to the place which she had appointed him wherein to abide, said to him, “O my lady Fatimeh, here shalt thou dwell; this pavilion is in thy name and thou shalt abide therein in all quiet and ease of privacy.”  And the Maugrabin thanked her for her bounty and prayed for her.