ass, it perceiveth nothing. But I belong to those who can
see things."

Joseph fled forth, away from the house of his mistress,[122]
the same house in which aforetime wonders had been done
for Sarah kept a captive there by Pharaoh.[123] But hardly
was he outside when the sinful passion again overwhelmed
him, and he returned to Zuleika's chamber. Then the Lord
appeared unto him, holding the Eben Shetiyah[124] in His
hand, and said to him: "If thou touchest her, I will cast
away this stone upon which the earth is founded, and the
world will fall to ruin." Sobered again, Joseph started
to escape from his mistress,[125] but Zuleika caught him by his
garment, and she said: "As the king liveth, if thou wilt
not fulfil my wish, thou must die," and while she spoke thus,
she drew a sword with her free hand from under her dress,
and, pressing it against Joseph's throat, she said, "Do as I
bid thee, or thou diest." Joseph ran out, leaving a piece of
his garment in the hands of Zuleika as he wrenched himself
loose from the grasp of the woman with a quick, energetic
motion.[126]

Zuleika's passion for Joseph was so violent that, in lieu
of its owner, whom she could not succeed in subduing to her
will, she kissed and caressed the fragment of cloth left in
her hand.[127] At the same time she was not slow to perceive
the danger into which she had put herself, for, she feared,
Joseph might possibly betray her conduct, and she considered
ways and means of obviating the consequences of
her folly.[128]