Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/250

Rh Then he asked, "If I take her with me, wilt thou trust me to send this to thee in the morning; or shall she stay with thee until it is brought to thee to-morrow?"

Now the wine had overpowered me, and the consequent confusion and bashfulness caused me to say, "To be sure! I will certainly trust thee. Take her,and may Allâh make thee happy with her!"

So he said to one of his young men, "Place her upon thy animal, and get up behind, and take her away." And then he himself mounted, and took leave of me, and departed.

And he had been scarcely an instant out my sight ere I was conscious of the mistake and error into which I had fallen. And I cried, "What have I done? I have parted with my slave-girl to a man with whom I have no acquaintance, nor do I even know who he is; and supposing I did know him, where is he to be found?"

So I sat down thinking over this, until the dawn prayer-hour. And my companions went into Damascus, but I remained behind, perplexed and undecided what I should do. And the sun beat down upon me, and I hated the place. And I thought of entering