"[FN#84]
When he read these verses, his eyes ran over with tears and the
old woman said to him, "What ails thee to weep, O my son? May
God never make thine eye to shed tears!" "O my lady," answered
the Persian, "how should my son not weep, seeing that this is his
slave-girl and he her lord Nimeh ben er Rebya of Cufa? Indeed,
her recovery depends on her seeing him, for nought ails her but
the love of him. So, O my lady, take these thousand dinars to
thyself (and thou shalt have of me yet more than this) and look
on us with eyes of compassion; for we know not how to bring this
affair to a happy issue but through thee." Then she said to
Nimeh, "Art thou indeed her lord?" "Yes," answered he, and she,
"Thou sayst truly; for she ceases not to name thee." Then he
told her all that had passed from first to last, and she said, "O
youth, thou shalt owe thy reunion with her to none but me." So
she mounted at once and returning to Num, looked in her face and
smiled, saying, "O my daughter, it is just that thou weep and
fall sick for thy separation from thy master Nimeh ben er Rebya
of Cufa." Quoth Num, "Verily, the veil has been withdrawn for
thee and the truth revealed to thee." "Be of good cheer,"
rejoined the old woman, "and take heart, for I will surely bring
you together, though it cost me my life.
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