Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/100

 Or was thy talk a deceit to her, O Abu Mukheymer?

Wert thou false and untrue, O beautiful one, O hero?

If that thy speech were truth, then come thou to her succour."

And I called to her with a sign, " Nay, be not wrath in thy anger;

Only the foolish are wrath." And she answered with a gesture,

"Victory be to thee, O Prince, and a life of glory;

Mayest thou still of thy foes the snares outwit, the deceptions.

Lo, my soul is a ransom for thine, and love I this anguish

So but I know thee true, and minded not to betrayal."

And I called to her with a sign, for we needed not more language:

"Traitors and evil men shall have their payment of evil.

Fear not, for I am here, and, not though the fire be kindled,

Be thou disturbed in mind, for lo, I stand at thy right hand;

And when the flames shall rise, then look for thy deliverance."

Thus did I comfort her grief. ct God make thee," she said, "victorious."

Said the Narrator:

And when Alia perceived the Emir Abu Zeyd, and when he had made himself known to her, and they had