The Sultan hath despatched
forty swordsmen against you and I counsel you flee ere evil
overtake you.' Then Senjer put his hand to his pouch and finding
there forty dinars, took them and gave them to Noureddin, saying,
'O my lord, take these and journey with them. If I had more, I
would give them to thee; but this is no time to take exception.'
So Noureddin went in to the damsel and told her what had
happened, at which she wrung her hands. Then they went out at
once from the city, and God let down the veil of His protection
over them, so that they reached the river-bank, where they found
a ship about to sail. Her captain stood in the waist, saying,
'Whoso has aught to do, whether in the way of victualling or
taking leave of his friends, or who has forgotten any necessary
thing, let him do it at once and return, for we are about to
sail.' And every one said, 'O captain, we have nothing left to
do.' Whereupon he cried out to his crew, saying, 'Ho, there! cast
off the moorings and pull up the pickets!' Quoth Noureddin,
'Whither bound, O captain?' 'To the Abode of Peace, Baghdad,'
replied he. So Noureddin and the damsel embarked with him, and
they launched out and spread the sails, and the ship sped forth,
as she were a bird in full flight, even as says right well the
poet:
Look at a ship, how ravishing a sight she is and fair! In her
swift course she doth outstrip the breezes of the air.
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