' And he was
silent. When she saw how the case stood, she exclaimed, 'I
testify that there is no god but God and that Mohammed is the
Apostle of God!' Then she put her hands to her face and turning
to Ghanim, said in a sweet voice, 'O blessed youth, who brought
me hither! See, I am now come to myself.' 'O my lady,' replied
he, 'three black eunuchs came hither, bearing this chest;' and
told her all that had happened and how his being belated had
proved the means of her preservation from death by suffocation.
Then he asked her who she was and what was her story. 'O youth,'
said she, 'praised be God who hath thrown me into the hands of
the like of thee! But now put me back into the chest and go out
into the road and hire the first muleteer or horse-letter thou
meetest, to carry it to thy house. When I am there, all will be
well and I will tell thee my story and who am I, and good shall
betide thee on my account.' At this he rejoiced and went out into
the road. It was now broad day and the folk began to go about the
ways: so he hired a muleteer and bringing him to the tomb, lifted
up the chest, in which he had already replaced the young lady,
and set it on the mule. Then he fared homeward, rejoicing, for
that she was a damsel worth ten thousand dinars and adorned with
jewels and apparel of great value, and love for her had fallen on
his heart.
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