Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/151

122 him in the face with his whip, and cried, "It verifies the lines,

And then he sent for the executioner to cut off the culprit's hand. So he came, and drew forth his knife, and stretched out the young man's hand. But a girl, bedraggled with mud, rushed from the midst of the women, and shrieking aloud threw herself upon him. Then she cast aside her veil, and revealed a face resembling the moon in its fullest beauty. And a great confusion arose amongst the people, one would almost have thought it to be a riot. Then she cried with a loud voice, "I adjure thee in the name of Allâh, O Prince! that thou delay the mutilation until thou hast read this petition" and she presented a paper to him.

So Khâlid broke the seal, and lo! within it were written the following lines: