Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/69

 perceived that his mind was truly on the mare, and that for her sake only he doubted, then answered she him thus and said, "Behold, I will arrange this thing for thee, even if in its accomplishing my soul should pass away, for in truth the mare is precious to my father, more precious than am I his daughter." And Abu Zeyd, hearing this, pondered a long while, even for an hour in silence. And she asked him, "What aileth thee, O Helali Salame?" And he said, "If I should take the mare, of a surety thy father would question thee of her, and he would learn the truth, and maybe he would treat thee ill for her sake. And for this cause hath my mind changed that I will not take her. And there is verily the grey mare of Ibn Ghanem, the Shohba, and her we could put in her place." But she said to him, " Nay, that may not be, not though I should drink of the cup of bitterness. And, if thou dost not take her, surely will I slay the mare and my own self after her, and thou alone shalt be responsible to her Lord and to my Lord. So come down now this very hour to the camp, and I will arrange all the matter." And he answered her, " Do thou go before, and I will follow after thee on the morrow." But she said, "Nay, but come thou now with me." And she desisted not until he came with her to the tents. And she made a place for him of honour on arich carpet, and she herself ministered unto him, speaking him words of welcome. And she brought him the ewer, that he might wash and pray. And for