At these words the mother of Khaled, defeated of her object, went back
to her son, who was tortured by the most cruel anxiety. He rose suddenly
to his feet, for his love had reached the point of desperation, and
asked with inquietude what were the feelings of his cousin. When he
learned the answer of Djaida his distress became overwhelming, for her
refusal only increased his passion. "What is to be done, my mother," he
exclaimed. "I see no way of escaping from this embarrassment," she
replied, "excepting you assemble all your horsemen from among the Arab
sheiks, and from among those with whom you are on friendly terms. Wait
until your uncle returns from the campaign, and then, surrounded by your
followers, go to him, and in the presence of the assembled warriors,
demand of him his daughter in marriage. If he deny that he has a
daughter, tell him all that has happened, and urge him until he gives
way to your demand." This advice, and the plan proposed moderated the
grief of Khaled. As soon as he learned that his uncle had returned home,
he assembled all the chiefs of his family and told his story to them.
All of them were very much astonished, and Madi Kereb. one of the
Khaled's bravest companions, could not help saying: "This is a strange
affair; we have always heard say that your uncle had a son named
Djonder, but now the truth is known. You are certainly the man who has
most right to the daughter of your uncle. It is therefore our best
course to present ourselves in a body and prostrate ourselves before
him, asking him to return to his family and not to give his daughter to
a stranger." Khaled, without hearing any more, took with him a hundred
of his bravest horsemen, being those who had been brought up with
Moharib and Zahir from their childhood, and, having provided themselves
with presents even more costly than those they had taken before, they
started off, and marched on until they came to the tribe of Saad. Khaled
began by complimenting his uncle on his happy return from war, but no
one could be more astonished than Zahir at this second visit, especially