unseen. And he waited patiently till night came on, when he arose and went to her and loosing her kissed her, saying: "How long have we wearied for our motherland and for reunion here?" Then he took the elder boy and she the younger, and they went forth from the palace. And Allah veiled them with the veil of his protection so that they came safe to the outer gate of the Queen's Seraglio. But finding it locked they despaired of escape, and his wife said, "There is no relief for us but to kill ourselves and be at rest from this great and weary travail." At this moment they heard a voice from without the door say, "O my Lady Manar al-Sana, I will not open to thee and thy husband except ye obey me in whatso I shall say to you." And they were silent for excess of fright; when the voice spake again, saying: "What aileth you both to be silent and answer me not?" And they knew the speaker to be the old woman, Shawahi. So they said, "Whatsoever thou biddest us we will do." And she replied, "I will not open until ye both swear that ye will take me with you, so that whatever bef aileth you shall befall me, for yonder abominable woman treateth me with indignity and tormenteth me on your account." Now recognizing her they trusted in her and sware an oath such as contented her, whereupon she opened the door and they found her riding on a Greek jar of red earthenware with a rope of palm-fibers about its neck, which rolled under her and ran faster than a Najdi colt, and she said to them, "Follow me and fear naught, for I know forty modes of
