Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/152

Rh And when Khâlid had read the lines, he turned away, and withdrew from the people, and caused the woman to be brought before him, and inquired her history. So she informed him that this young man loved her as she loved him; and that he wished to come and see her; and in order to let her know where he was he threw a stone into the house. And her father and her brothers heard the noise made by the stone, and went towards him. And when he saw them coming he collected all the things belonging to the house and made them up into a bundle. So they seized upon him, and said, "This is a thief." "And they brought him," said she, "to thee. And he confessed the theft and persisted in it, in order to save me from getting into trouble amongst my brethren. And the loss of his hand was a light thing for him to bear, provided he screened me, and I was not disgraced. And all this by reason of his extreme generosity and the nobility of his soul."

Then said Khâlid, "He is worthy through this deed." And he called the young man to him, and kissed him on the forehead, and commanded to fetch the father of the girl, and said to him, "O Sheikh! verily we had determined upon executing the law of