damsel a share of thy clemency? Indeed, if thou slay her, it were
injustice." Quoth he, "What is to be done with her?" And she
said, "Forbear to slay her and send for her lord. If he be as she
describeth him in grace and goodliness, she is excused, and if he
be not on this wise, then slay her, and this shall be thy
justification against her."[FN#22]

"Be it as thou deemest," answered Er Reshid and caused return the
damsel to her chamber, saying to her, "The Lady Zubeideh saith
thus and thus." Quoth she, "God requite her for me with good!
Indeed, thou dealest equitably, O Commander of the Faithful, in
this judgment." And he answered, "Go now to thy place, and
to-morrow we will let bring thy lord." So she kissed the earth
and recited the following verses:

I am content, for him I love, to all abide; So, who will, let him
blame, and who will, let him chide.
At their appointed terms souls die; but for despair My soul is
like to die, or ere its term betide.
O thou with love of whom I'm smitten, yet content, I prithee come
to me and hasten to my side.

Then she arose and returned to her chamber.

On the morrow, the Commander of the Faithful sat [in his hall of
audience] and his Vizier Jaafer ben Yehya the Barmecide came in
to him; whereupon he called to him, saying, "I would have thee
bring me a youth who is lately come to Baghdad, hight [Sidi
Noureddin Ali] the Damascene." Quoth Jaafer, "Hearkening and
obedience," and going forth in quest of the youth, sent to the