' Then Ghanim's mother and sister wept
sore, recalling their former prosperity and contrasting it with
their present destitute and miserable condition and thinking of
Ghanim, whilst Cout el Culoub wept because they did. And they
exclaimed, 'We beseech God to reunite us with him whom we desire,
and he is none other than our son Ghanim ben Eyoub!' When Cout el
Culoub heard this, she knew them to be the mother and sister of
her beloved and wept till she lost her senses. When she revived,
she turned to them and said, 'Have no care and grieve not, for
this day is the first of your prosperity and the last of your
adversity.' Then she bade the syndic take them to his own house
and let his wife carry them to the bath and clothe them
handsomely. And she charged him to take care of them and treat
them with all honour, and gave him a sum of money. Next day, she
mounted and riding to his house, went in to his wife, who rose
and kissed her hands and thanked her for her goodness. There she
saw Ghanim's mother and sister, whom the syndic's wife had taken
to the bath and clothed afresh, so that the traces of their
former condition were now plainly apparent. She sat awhile,
conversing with them, after which she enquired for the sick
youth, and the syndic's wife replied, 'He is in the same state.'
Then said Cout el Culoub, 'Come, let us go and visit him.' So
they all went into the room where he lay and sat down by him.
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