them in.  They were at the door waiting for that moment.  They entered, went up to Ganem, and embracing him in their turns, kissed him a thousand times.  What tears were shed amidst those embraces!  Ganem’s face was bathed with them, as well as his mother’s and sisters; and Fetnah let fall abundance.  The syndic himself and his wife were so moved at the spectacle, that they could not forbear weeping, nor sufficiently admire the secret workings of Providence which had brought together into their house four persons, whom fortune had so cruelly persecuted.

When they had dried up their tears, Ganem drew them afresh, by the recital of what he had suffered from the day he left Fetnah, till the moment the syndic brought him to his house.  He told them, that having taken refuge in a small village, he there fell sick; that some charitable peasants had taken care of him, but finding he did not recover, a camel-driver had undertaken to carry him to the hospital at Bagdad.  Fetnah also told them all the uneasiness of her imprisonment, how the caliph, having heard her talk in the tower, had sent for her into his closet, and how she had cleared herself.  In conclusion, when they had related what accidents had befallen them, Fetnah said, “Let us bless Heaven, which has brought us all together again, and let us think of nothing but the happiness that awaits us.  As soon as Ganem has recovered his health, he must appear before the caliph, with his mother and sister; but I will go and make some provision for them.”

This said, she went to the palace, and soon returned with a purse containing a thousand pieces of gold, which she delivered to the syndic, desiring him to buy apparel for the mother and daughter.  The syndic, who was a man of a good taste, chose such as were very handsome, and had them made up with all expedition.  They were finished in three days, and Ganem finding himself strong enough, prepared to go abroad; but on the day he had appointed to pay his respects to the caliph, while he was making ready, with his mother and sister, the grand vizier, Jaaffier came to the syndic’s house.

He had come on horseback, attended by a great number of officers.  “Sir,” said he to Ganem, as soon as he entered, “I am come from the commander of the true believers, my master and yours; the orders I have differ much from those which I do not wish to revive in your memory; I am to bear you company, and to present you to the caliph, who is desirous to see you.”  Ganem returned no other answer to the vizier’s compliment, than by profoundly bowing his head, and then mounted a horse brought from the caliph’s stables, which he managed very gracefully.  The mother and daughter were mounted on mules belonging to the palace, and whilst Fetnah on another mule led them by a bye-way to the prince’s court, Jaaffier conducted Ganem, and brought him into the hall of audience.  The caliph was sitting on his throne, encompassed with emirs, viziers, and. other attendants and courtiers, Arabs, Persians, Egyptians, Africans, and Syrians, of his own dominions, not to mention strangers.