Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 2.djvu/373

336 bring me an answer from her.” “I hear and obey,” repledreplied [sic] the old woman and going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fekan’s answer, which was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake till one half of the night was past, when disquietude got hold on him, and before he was aware, she came in to him, saying, “My life be thy ransom from wakefulness!” And he sprang up to receive her, exclaiming, “O desire of my heart, my life be thy ransom from all things evil!” Then he acquainted her with his intent, and she wept; but he said, “Weep not, O my cousin; for I beseech Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and felicity.” Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of her, after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul, rode through the streets of Baghdad, till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out, who, seeing him, ran to his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting, and Subbah said to him, “O my brother, how camest thou by this steed and sword and clothes, whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my sword and target?” Quoth Kanmakan, “The hunter returns not but with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy departure, fortune came to me: so now wilt thou go with me and work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this desert?” “By the Lord of the Kaabeh,” replied Subbah, “from this time forth I will call thee nought but ‘My lord!’” Then he ran on before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his budget between his shoulder-blades, and they pushed on into the desert four days’ space, eating of the gazelles they caught and drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day, they came in sight of a high hill, at whose foot was a Spring encampment and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with