At last, [from the force of his] threats and admonitions, I remained silent; I bought two camels, and mounting on kajawas, [397] we set out for the country of Maliki Sadik.  We pursued our journey, and at last reached a plain, where loud noises were heard. Mubarak exclaimed, “God be praised, our labours have turned out well, for lo! the army of jinns is here arrived.”  He met them at last, and asked them where they intended to go.  They replied, “The king has sent us forward for the purpose of receiving you, and we are now under your orders; if you command us, we will convey you in a moment to the presence [of the king].” Mubarak, turning to me, said, “See how, after all our toils and dangers, God has favoured us before the face of the king; what is the need of haste now? if some misconduct should occur, which God forbid, then the fruits of our labours would be lost, and we should fall under the king’s displeasure.”  They all answered, “You are the sole master in this; proceed as you please.”  Although we were comfortable in every way, yet we made it our business to march day and night.

When we approached [the place where the king was], I, seeing Mubarak asleep, fell at that beautiful woman’s feet, and bewailing to her the restless state of my heart, and my helpless condition, owing to the threats of Maliki Sadik, and that from the day I had seen her picture, I had forsworn sleep and food and repose; and now that God had shewn to me this day, I still remained an utter stranger to her.  She replied, “My heart is also inclined towards you, for what toils and dangers have you undergone for my sake, and with what labour and difficulty have you brought me away; remember God, and do not forget me; let us see what may be revealed from behind the curtain of mystery.”  On saying this, she wept so loud that she was nearly suffocated.  Such was my state, and such was hers!  In the meantime, Mubarak’s slumbers were broken, and seeing us both in tears, he was greatly affected, and said, “Be comforted; I have an ointment which I will rub over the body of this fair one; from the smell of it the heart of Maliki Sadik will be disgusted, and he will perhaps abandon her to you.”

On hearing this plan of Mubarak’s, my heart was greatly revived; and, embracing him fondly, I said, “O friend, you are now in the place of a father to me; owing to you my life was saved, now also act so that I may still live on, otherwise I must perish in this grief.”  He gave me every friendly assurance.  When the day appeared, we heard the noise of the jinns, and saw that many personal attendants of Maliki Sadik were arrived, and had brought two rich khil’ats for us, and a covered litter with a network of pearls accompanied them. Mubarak rubbed the ointment over my beloved’s body; and having caused her to be richly dressed, he conveyed her to Maliki Sadik.  On beholding her, the king rewarded