darted off under her, like the stormy gale or like waters that
from straitness of pipes outrail. Now Miriam was the doughtiest
of the folk of her time and the unique pearl of her age and tide;
for her father had taught her, whilst she was yet little, on
steeds to ride and dive deep during the darkness of the night in
the battle tide. When the King saw her charging down upon them,
he knew her but too well and turning to his eldest son, said, "O
Bartaut,[FN#10] thou who art surnamed Ras al-Killaut[FN#11] this
is assuredly thy sister Miriam who chargeth upon us, and she
seeketh to wage war and fight fray with us. So go thou out to
give her battle: and I enjoin thee by the Messiah and the Faith
which is no liar, an thou get the better of her, kill her not
till thou have propounded to her the Nazarene faith. An she
return to her old creed, bring her to me prisoner; but an she
refuse, do her die by the foulest death and make of her the
vilest of examples, as well as the accursed which is with her."
Quoth Bartaut, "Hearkening obedience"; and, rushing out
forthright to meet his sister, said to her, "O Miriam, doth not
what hath already befallen us on thine account suffice thee, but
thou must leave the faith of thy fathers and forefathers and
follow after the faith of the Vagrants in the lands, that is to
say, the faith of Al-Islam? By the virtue of the Messiah and the
Faith which is no liar, except thou return to the creed of the
Kings thy Forebears and walk therein after the goodliest fashion,
I will put thee to an ill death and make of thee the most
shameful of ensamples!" But Miriam laughed at his speech and
replied, "Well-away! Far be it that the past should present stay
or that he who is dead should again see day! I will make thee
drink the sourest of regrets! By Allah, I will not turn back upon
the faith of Mohammed son of Abdullah, who made salvation