mayst accomplish my occasion with the Commander of the Faithful."
Quoth the princess, "And what is it?" "It is," answered Sitt el
Milah, "that thou get me leave to go forth by myself and go round
about in quest of him three days, for the adage saith, 'She who
mourneth for herself is not the like of her who is hired to
mourn.'[FN#29] If I find him, I will bring him before the
Commander of the Faithful, so he may do with us what he will; and
if I find him not, I shall be cut off from hope of him and that
which is with me will be assuaged." Quoth the Lady Zubeideh, "I
will not get thee leave from him but for a whole month; so be of
good heart and cheerful eye." Whereupon Sitt el Milah was glad
and rising, kissed the earth before her once more and went away
to her own place, rejoicing.

As for Zubeideh, she went in to the Khalif and talked with him
awhile; then she fell to kissing him between the eyes and on his
hand and asked him that which she had promised Sitt el Milah,
saying, "O Commander of the Faithful, I doubt me her lord is not
found in this world; but, if she go about in quest of him and
find him not, her hopes will be cut off and her mind will be set
at rest and she will sport and laugh; for that, what while she
abideth in hope, she will never cease from her frowardness." And
she gave not over cajoling him till he gave Sitt el Milah leave
to go forth and make search for her lord a month's space and
ordered her an eunuch to attend her and bade the paymaster [of
the household] give her all she needed, were it a thousand
dirhems a day or more. So the Lady Zubeideh arose and returning
to her palace, sent for Sitt el Milah and acquainted her with
that which had passed [between herself and the Khalif]; whereupon
she kissed her hand and thanked her and called down blessings on