Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/96

 to the right and to the left hand, because that Abu Zeyd had promised her that he would return to the camp; and while she was in this wise, suddenly she saw Abu Zeyd standing in the midst of the Arabs who were around her. And he was in disguisement as a dervish, or one of those who ask alms. And he saw that she was about to speak. But he signed to her that she should be silent: as it were he would say, "' Fear not, for I am here." And when she was sure that it was indeed he Abu Zeyd and none other, then smiled she on him very sweetly, and said, " Thine be the victory, and I will be thy ransom. Nor shall thy enemies prevail against thee." But he answered with a sign, '"' Of a surety thou shalt see somewhat that shall astonish thee." And this he said as the flames of the fire broke forth.

Now the cause of the coming of Abu Zeyd to the place was in this wise. After that he had gone away, and had taken with him the mare, and that his mind had entered into its perplexity as to what might befall Alia from her father, lest he should seize on her and inquire. what had happened, and why she had cared nothing for her own people or for her wounded brother, and why she had cried to Abu Zeyd, then said he to himself, "Of a surety I must return to her, and ascertain the event." And looking about him, he made discovery of a cave known as yet to no man, and he placed in it the mare, and gathered grass for her, and closed the door of the cave with stones. 'Then clothing himself as a Dervish, he made his plan how he should return to the tents of