She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibrahim continued:—Then they carried me before the Wali and he, seeing the bloodstains on my hand, cried, “This needeth no proof: strike off his head!” Now hearing these words, I wept with sore weeping the tears streaming from my eyes and recited these two couplets[[343]]:—

We trod the steps that for us were writ, ✿ And whose steps are written he needs must tread;

And whose death is decreed in one land to be ✿ He ne’er shall perish in other stead.

Then I sobbed a single sob and fell a-swoon; and the headsman’s heart was moved to ruth for me and he exclaimed, “By Allah, this is no murtherer’s face!” But the Chief said, “Smite his neck.” So they seated me on the rug of blood and bound my eyes; after which the sworder drew his sword and asking leave of the Wali, was about to strike off my head, whilst I cried out, “Alas, my strangerhood!” when lo and behold! I heard a noise of horse coming up and a voice calling aloud, “Leave him! Stay thy hand, O Sworder!” Now there was for this a wondrous reason and a marvellous cause; and ’twas thus. Al-Khasib, Wazir of Egypt, had sent his Head Chamberlain to the Caliph Harun al-Rashid with presents and a letter, saying, “My son hath been missing this year past, and I hear that he is in Baghdad; wherefore I crave of the bounty of the Viceregent of Allah that he make search for tidings of him and do his endeavour to find him and send him back to me with the Chamberlain.” When the Caliph read the missive, he commanded the Chief of Police to search out the truth of the matter, and he ceased not to enquire after Ibrahim, till it was told him that he was at Bassorah, whereupon he informed the Caliph, who wrote a letter to the viceroy and giving it to the Chamberlain of Egypt, bade him repair to Bassorah and take with him a company of the Wazir’s followers. So, of his eagerness to find the son of his lord, the Chamberlain set out forthright and happened by the way upon Ibrahim, as he stood on the rug of blood. When the Wali saw the Chamberlain, he recognised him and alighted to him and as he asked, “What young man is that and what is his case?” The Chief told him how the matter was and the Chamberlain said (and indeed he knew him not for the son of the Sultan[[344]]) “Verily this young man hath not the face of one who murthereth.” And he bade loose his bonds; so they loosed him and the Chamberlain said, “Bring him to me!” and they brought him, but the officer knew him not his beauty being all gone for the horrors he had endured. Then the Chamberlain said to him, “O youth, tell me thy case and how cometh this slain woman with thee.” Ibrahim looked at him and knowing him, said to him, “Woe to thee! Dost thou not know me? Am I not Ibrahim, son of thy lord? Haply thou art come in quest of me.” With this the Chamberlain considered him straitly and knowing him right well, threw himself at his feet; which when the Wali saw, his colour changed; and the Chamberlain cried to him, “Fie upon thee, O tyrant! Was it thine intent to slay the son of my master Al-Khasib, Wazir of Egypt?” The Chief of Police kissed his skirt, saying “O my lord,[[345]] how should I know him? We found him in this plight and saw the girl lying slain by his side.” Rejoined the Chamberlain, “Out on thee! Thou art not fit for the office. This is a lad of fifteen and he hath not slain a sparrow; so how should he be a murtherer? Why didst thou not have patience with him and question him of his case?” Then the Chamberlain and the Wali cried to the men, “Make search for the young lady’s murtherer.” So they re-entered the bath and finding him, brought him to the Chief of Police, who carried him to the Caliph and acquainted him with that which had occurred. Al-Rashid bade slay the slayer and sending for Ibrahim, smiled in his face and said to him, “Tell me thy tale and that which hath betided thee.” So he recounted to him his story from first to last, and it was grievous to the Caliph, who called Masrur his Sworder, and said to him, “Go straightway and fall upon the house of Abu al-Kasim al-Sandalani and bring me him and the young lady.” The eunuch went forth at once and breaking into the house, found Jamilah bound with her own hair and nigh upon death; so he loosed her and taking the painter, carried them both to the Caliph, who marvelled at Jamilah’s beauty. Then he turned to Al-Sandalani and said, “Take him and cut off his hands, wherewith he beat this young lady; then crucify him and deliver his monies and possessions to Ibrahim.” They did his bidding, and as they were thus, behold, in came Abu al-Lays governor of Bassorah, the Lady Jamilah’s father, seeking aid of the Caliph against Ibrahim bin al-Khasib Wazir of Egypt and complaining to him that the youth had taken his daughter. Quoth Al-Rashid, “He hath been the means of delivering her from torture and slaughter.” Then he sent for Ibrahim, and when he came, he said to Abu al-Lays, “Wilt thou not accept of this young man, son of the Soldan of Egypt, as husband to thy daughter?” Replied Abu al-Lays, “I hear and I obey Allah and thee, O Commander of the Faithful;” whereupon the Caliph summoned the Kazi and the witnesses and married the young lady to Ibrahim. Furthermore, he gave him all Al-Sandalani’s wealth and equipped him for his return to his own country, where he abode with Jamilah in the utmost of bliss and the most perfect of happiness, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies; and glory be to the Living who dieth not! They also relate, O auspicious King, a tale anent

[298]. The tale is not in the Bresl. Edit.

[299]. Al-Khasíb (= the fruitful) was the son of ’Abd al-Hamíd and intendant of the tribute of Egypt under Harun al-Rashid, but neither Lord nor Sultan. Lane (iii. 669) quotes three couplets in his honour by Abu Nowás from p. 119 of “Elmacini (Al-Makín) Historia Saracenica.”

If our camel visit not the land of Al-Khasib, what man after Al-Khasib shall they visit?

For generosity is not his neighbour; nor hath it sojourned near him; but generosity goeth wherever he goeth:

He is a man who purchaseth praise with his wealth, and who knoweth that the periods of Fortune revolve.