Thereupon he closed the gate. But she who dreamed thought of all the lamentation which would come now. “I do not wish to hear it,” said she, and rushed away from the balustrade. That instant she awoke. Then she discovered that in her terror she had jumped out of her bed and down on the cold stone floor.
Again she thought she did not want to sleep more that night, and again sleep overpowered her, and she closed her eyes and began to dream.
She sat once more on the roof of her house, and beside her stood her husband. She told him of her dreams, and he ridiculed her.
Again she heard a voice, which said to her: “Go see the people who wait in your court!”
But she thought: “I would not see them. I have seen enough misery to-night.”
Just then she heard three loud raps on the gate, and her husband walked over to the balustrade to see who it was that asked admittance to his house.
But no sooner had he leaned over the railing, than he beckoned to his wife to come over to him.
“Know you not this man?” said he, and pointed down.
When she looked down on the court, she found that it was filled with horses and riders, slaves were busy unloading asses and camels. It looked as though a distinguished traveler might have landed.
At the entrance gate stood the traveler. He was a large elderly man with broad shoulders and a heavy and gloomy appearance.