" So I abode with her till God
brought us together in this church.' Then the princess turned to
him and said, 'O my lord Alaeddin, wilt thou accept of me to
wife?' 'O my lady,' replied he, 'I am a Muslim and thou art a
Nazarene; so how can I marry thee?' 'God forbid,' rejoined she,
'that I should be an infidel! Nay, I am a Muslim; these eighteen
years have I held fast the Faith of Submission and I am pure of
any faith other than that of Islam.' Then said he, 'O my lady, I
would fain return to my native land.' And she answered, 'Know
that I see written on thy forehead things that thou must needs
fulfil and thou shalt come to thy desire. Moreover, I give thee
the glad tidings, O Alaeddin, that there hath been born to thee a
son named Aslan, who is now eighteen years old and sitteth in thy
place with the Khalif. Know also that God hath shown forth the
truth and done away the false by withdrawing the curtain of
secrecy from him who stole the Khalif's goods, that is, Ahmed
Kemakim the arch-thief and traitor; and he now lies bound and in
prison. It was I who caused the jewel to be put in the bag where
thou foundest it and who sent the captain to thee; for thou must
know that he is enamoured of me and seeketh my favours, but I
refused to yield to his wishes, till he should being me the jewel
and its owner.
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