So she gave him all that she possessed and he sold it and paid the rest of her price; after which there remained to him a hundred dirhems.  These he spent and lay that night with the damsel in all delight of life, and his soul was like to fly for joy; but when he arose in the morning, he sat weeping and the damsel said to him, ‘What aileth thee to weep?’ And he said, ’I know not if my father be dead, and he hath none other heir but myself; and how shall I win to him, seeing I have not a dirhem?’ Quoth she, ’I have a bracelet; do thou sell it and buy small pearls with the price.  Then bray them and fashion them into great pearls, and thereon thou shalt gain much money, wherewith we may make our way to thy country.’  So he took the bracelet and repairing to a goldsmith, said to him, ’Break up this bracelet and sell it.’  But he said, ’The king seeketh a good[FN#183] bracelet; I will go to him and bring thee the price thereof.’  So he carried the bracelet to the Sultan and it pleased him greatly, by reason of the goodliness of its workmanship.  Then he called an old woman, who was in his palace, and said to her, ’Needs must I have the mistress of this bracelet, though but for a single night, or I shall die.’  And the old woman answered, ’I will bring her to thee.’

So she donned a devotee’s habit and betaking herself to the goldsmith, said to him, ’To whom belongeth the bracelet that is in the king’s hand?’ Quoth he, ’It belongeth to a man, a stranger, who hath bought him a slave-girl from this city and lodgeth with her in such a place.’  So the old woman repaired to the young man’s house and knocked at the door.  The damsel opened to her and seeing her clad in devotee’s apparel,[FN#184] saluted her and said to her, ’ Belike thou hast an occasion with us?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the old woman; ’I desire privacy and ablution.’[FN#185] Quoth the girl, ‘Enter.’  So she entered and did her occasion and made the ablution and prayed.  Then she brought out a rosary and began to tell her beads thereon, and the damsel said to her, ’Whence comest thou, O pilgrim?’[FN#186] Quoth she ’[I come] from [visiting] the Idol[FN#187] of the Absent in such a church.[FN#188] There standeth up no woman [to prayer] before him, who hath an absent friend and discovereth to him her need, but he acquainteth her with her case and giveth her tidings of her absent one.’  ‘O pilgrim,’ said the damsel, ’we have an absent one, and my lord’s heart cleaveth to him and I desire to go to the idol and question him of him.’  Quoth the old woman, ’[Wait] till to-morrow and ask leave of thy husband, and I will come to thee and go with thee in weal.’