and said, ‘What is to do?’ ‘Know,’ answered the vizier, ’that some days after thy departure, one came to me and said to me, “Come, O vizier, and look.”  So I went to the door of the [queen’s] sleeping-chamber and beheld her sitting with Aboulkhair, her father’s servant, whom she favoureth, and she did with him what she did, and this is the manner of that which I saw and heard.’

When Dabdin heard this, he burnt with rage and said to one of his eunuchs,[FN#115] ‘Go and slay her in her chamber.’  But the eunuch said to him, ’O king, may God prolong thy continuance!  Indeed, the killing of her may not be at this time; but do thou bid one of thine eunuchs take her up on a camel and carry her to one of the trackless deserts and cast her down there; so, if she be at fault, God shall cause her to perish, and if she be innocent, He will deliver her, and the king shall be free from sin against her, for that this damsel is dear to thee and thou slewest her father by reason of thy love for her.’  Quoth the king, ’By Allah, thou sayst sooth!’ Then he bade one of his eunuchs carry her on a camel to one of the far-off deserts and there leave her and go away, and he forbade [him] to prolong her torment.  So he took her up and betaking himself with her to the desert, left her there without victual or water and returned, whereupon she made for one of the [sand-]hills and ranging stones before her [in the form of a prayer-niche], stood praying.

Now it chanced that a camel-driver, belonging to Kisra the king, lost certain camels and the king threatened him, if he found them not, that he would slay him.  So he set out and plunged into the deserts till he came to the place where the damsel was and seeing her standing praying, waited till she had made an end of her prayer, when he went up to her and saluted her, saying, ’Who art thou?’ Quoth she, ‘I am a handmaid of God.’  ’What dost thou in this desolate place?’ asked he, and she said, ’I serve God the Most High.’  When he saw her beauty and grace, he said to her, ’Harkye!  Do thou take me to husband and I will be tenderly solicitous over thee and use thee with exceeding compassion and I will further thee in obedience to God the Most High.’  But she answered, saying, ’I have no need of marriage and I desire to abide here [alone] with my Lord and His service; but, if thou wouldst deal compassionately with me and further me in the obedience of God the Most High, carry me to a place where there is water and thou wilt have done me a kindness.’

So he carried her to a place wherein was running water and setting her down on the ground, left her and went away, marvelling at her.  After he left her, he found his camels, by her blessing, and when he returned, King Kisra asked him, ’Hast thou found the camels?’ [’Yes,’ answered he] and acquainted him with the affair of the damsel and set out to him her beauty and grace; whereupon the king’s heart clave to her and he mounted with a few men and betook