When the criers had performed what the king had enjoined them, that prince ordered the mother and the daughter to be turned out of the palace, and left to their choice to go where they thought fit. As soon as ever they appeared, all persons fled from them, so great an impression had the late prohibition made upon them all. They easily perceived that every body shunned them; but not knowing the reason of it, they were much surprised; and their amazement was the greater, when, coming into any street, or among several persons, they knew some of their best friends, who presently vanished with as much haste as the rest. What is the meaning of this? said Ganem’s mother: do we carry the plague about us? Must the unjust and barbarous usage we have received render us odious to our fellow-citizens? Come, my child, added she, let us depart from Damascus with all speed; let us not stay any longer in a city where we are become frightful to our very friends.
The two wretched ladies, discoursing after this manner, came to one of the ends of the city, and retired to a ruined house, to pass the night. Thither some Mussulmen, or believers, out of charity and compassion, resorted to them after the day was shut in. They carried them provisions, but durst not stay to comfort them, for fear of being discovered, and punished for disobeying the caliph’s orders.
In the mean time, king Zinebi had let fly a pigeon, to give Haroun Alraschid an account of his exact obedience. He informed him of all that had been done, and conjured him to direct what he would have done with Ganem’s mother and sister. He soon received the caliph’s answer the same way, which was, that he banished them from Damascus for ever. Immediately the king of Syria sent men to the old house, with orders to take the mother and the daughter, and to conduct them three days’ journey from Damascus, and there to leave them, forbidding them ever to return to the city.
Zinebi’s men executed their commission; but being less precise than their master, in the strict performance of every tittle of Haroun Alraschid’s orders, they in pity gave Alcolomb and her mother some small pieces of money to buy them some subsistence, and each of them a bag, which they hung about their necks, to carry their provisions.
In this miserable condition, they came to the first village. The peasants flocked about them; and as it appeared through their disguise that they were people of some fashion, they asked them what was the occasion of their travelling after that manner, in a habit that did not seem properly to belong to them. Instead of answering the question put to them, they fell a-weeping, which only served to heighten the curiosity of the peasants, and to move them to compassion. Ganem’s mother told them what she and her daughter had endured; at which the good countrywomen were sensibly afflicted, and endeavoured to comfort them. They treated them as well as their poverty would permit; they took off their horse-hair smocks, which were very uneasy, and put on others they gave them, with shoes, and something to cover their heads, and save their hair.
Having expressed their gratitude to those charitable women, Alcolomb and her mother departed that village, taking short journeys towards Aleppo. They used at night to lie near the mosques, or in them, upon the mat, if there was any, or else on the bare pavement; and sometimes put up in the places appointed for the use of travellers. As for sustenance, they did not want; for they often came to places where bread, boiled rice, and other provisions, are distributed to all travellers who desire it.
At length they came to Aleppo, but would not stay there, and holding on their journey towards the Euphrates, crossed that river, and entered into Mesopotamia, which they traversed as far as Moussoul. Thence, notwithstanding all they had endured, they proceeded to Bagdad. That was the place they had fixed their thoughts upon, hoping to find Ganem there, though they ought not to have fancied that he was in a city where the caliph resided: but they hoped, because they wished it; their affection rather increasing than diminishing, in spite of all their misfortunes. Their discourse was generally about him, and they inquired for him of all they met. But let us leave Alcolomb and her mother, to return to Fetnah.
She was still confined close in the dark tower, ever since the day that had been so fatal to Ganem and her. However, disagreeable as her prison was to her, it was much less grievous than the thoughts of Ganem’s misfortune, the uncertainty of whose fate was a killing affliction to her. There was scarce a moment in which she did not lament him.
One night when the caliph was walking by himself within the enclosure of his palace, as he frequently did; for he was the most prying prince in the world, and sometimes, by means of those night-walks, he came to the knowledge of things that happened in his palace, which would otherwise never have come to his ear: one of these nights, in his walk, he happened to pass by the dark tower, and fancying he heard somebody talk, he stopped, and drew near the door to listen, and distinctly heard these words, which Fetnah, whose thoughts were always on Ganem, uttered with a loud voice: O Ganem! too unfortunate Ganem! where are you at this time? whither has thy cruel fate led thee? Alas! it is I that have made you miserable! Why did you not let me perish unhappily, rather than afford me your generous relief? What a dismal reward have you received for your care and respect! The commander of the faithful, who ought to have requited, persecutes you; and in return for having always looked upon me as a person reserved for his bed, you lose all your goods, and are obliged to seek for safety in flight. O caliph! barbarous caliph! what will you say for yourself when you shall appear with Ganem before the tribunal of the Supreme Judge, and the angels shall testify the truth before your face! All the power you are now invested with, and which makes the best part of the world quake, will not prevent your being condemned and punished for your violent and unjust proceedings. Here Fetnah ceased her complaint, her sighs and tears putting a stop to her tongue.
This was enough to bring the caliph to himself. He plainly perceived, that if what he had heard was true, his favourite must be innocent, and that he had been too rash in giving orders against Ganem and his family. Being resolved to be rightly informed in an affair which so nearly concerned him, in point of equity, on which he valued himself, he immediately returned to his apartment, and that moment ordered Mesrour to repair to the dark tower and bring Fetnah to him.