Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/38

20 him to him a hundred thousand dinars; but none could find him nor come on any trace of him; and she is now at death’s door.” “And how is it with her father?” asked I. Quoth the servant, “He hath sold all his girls, for stress of that which hath befallen him, and repented to God the Most High.”

Then said I, “What wouldst thou say to him who should direct thee to Aboulhusn the Omani?” And he answered, saying, “I conjure thee by Allah, O my brother, that thou do this and quicken my poverty!” “Go to her father,” rejoined I, “and say to him, ‘Thou owest me the reward for good news, for that Aboulhusn the Omani standeth at the door.’” With this he set off running, as he were a mule loosed from the mill, and presently came back, accompanied by Tahir himself, who no sooner saw me than he returned to his house and gave the man a hundred thousand dinars, with which he went away, calling down blessings on me. Then the old man came up to me and embraced me and wept, saying, “O my lord, where hast thou been absent all this while? Indeed, my daughter is perished by reason of her separation from thee; but come with me into the house.” So we entered and he prostrated himself in gratitude to God the Most High, saying, “Praised be God who hath reunited us with thee!”

Then he went in to his daughter and said to her, “God healeth thee of this sickness.” “O my father,” answered she, “I shall never be whole of my sickness, except I look upon the face of Aboulhusn.” Quoth he, “If thou wilt eat a morsel and go to the bath, I will bring thee in company with him.” “Is it true that thou sayest?” asked she; and he replied, “By the Great God, it is true!” “By Allah,” rejoined she, “if I look upon his face, I shall have no need of eating!” Then said he to his