Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/237

215 and his wife together and casting about how to do in this poor wretch’s case, who had cast himself into destruction and would not be diverted from his purpose by fear or aught else; for, indeed, he recked not of his life and the byword saith, ‘A man in love hearkeneth not to the speech of him who is heart-free.’

Now the name of the queen of the island in which they were was Nour el Huda, eldest daughter of the Supreme King, ruler over the islands and all the lands of Wac, and she had six virgin sisters, abiding with their father, whose court was in the chief city of the land of Wac. The old woman had a claim on her for favour, for that she had reared all the king’s daughters and had authority over them all and was high in honour and consideration with them and with the king. So, when she saw Hassan on fire with yearning after his wife and children, she betook herself to the palace and going in to the queen, kissed the earth before her; whereupon Nour el Huda rose to her and embracing her, seated her by her side and asked her of her journey. ‘By Allah, O my lady,’ answered she, ‘it was a blessed journey and I have brought thee a present, which I will lay before thee. Moreover, O my daughter, O queen of the age and the time, I have an occasion to thee and I would fain discover it to thee, that thou mayst help me to accomplish it, and but for my confidence that thou wilt not gainsay me therein, I would not expose it to thee.’ ‘And what is thine occasion?’ asked the queen. ‘Expound it to me, and I will accomplish it to thee, for I and my kingdom and troops are all at thy commandment and disposition.’

Therewithal the old woman shook, as the reed shakes on a day of stormy wind, and saying in herself, ‘O Protector, protect me from the queen’s mischief!’ fell down before her and acquainted her with Hassan’s case, saying, ‘O my lady, a man, who had hidden himself under