Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/362

332 Faithful, my offence is too great for me to attempt to extenuate it and thy pardon is too great for me to speak a word of thanks for it.” And I chanted the following verses:

Quoth Mamoun, “I say, like our lord Joseph (on whom and on our Prophet be peace and blessing), ‘There shall be no reproach on thee this day. God will forgive thee, for He is the Most Merciful of the Merciful ones.’ Indeed, I pardon thee, O uncle, and restore thee thy goods and lands, and no harm shall befall thee.” So I offered up devout prayers for him and repeated the following verses:

Then Mamoun showed me honour and favour and said to me, “O uncle, Abou Ishac and Abbas counselled me to put thee to death.” “And they counselled thee right loyally, O Commander of the Faithful,” answered I; “but thou hast done after thine own nature and hast put away