he suffered Ganem's mother to proceed in the following
manner: "I am the widow of Abou Ayoub, a merchant of Damascus; I
had a son called Ganem, who, coming to trade at Bagdad, has been
accused of carrying off Fetnah. The caliph caused search to be
made for him every where, to put him to death; but not finding
him, he wrote to the king of Damascus, to cause our house to be
plundered and razed, and to expose my daughter and myself three
days successively, naked, to the populace, and then to banish us
out of Syria for ever. But how unworthy soever our usage has
been, I should be still comforted were my son alive, and I could
meet with him. What a pleasure would it be for his sister and me
to see him again! Embracing him we should forget the loss of our
property, and all the evils we have suffered on his account.
Alas! I am fully persuaded he is only the innocent cause of them;
and that he is no more guilty towards the caliph than his sister
and myself."

"No doubt of it," said Fetnah, interrupting her there, "he is no
more guilty than you are; I can assure you of his innocence; for
I am that very Fetnah, you so much complain of; who, through some
fatality in my stars, have occasioned you so many misfortunes. To
me you must impute the loss of your son, if he is no more; but if
I have occasioned your misfortune, I can in some measure relieve
it. I have already justified Ganem to the caliph; who has caused
it to be proclaimed throughout his dominions, that he pardons the
son of Abou Ayoub; and doubt not he will do you as much good as
he has done you injury. You are no longer his enemies. He waits
for Ganem, to requite the service he has done me, by uniting our
fortunes; he gives me to him for his consort, therefore look on
me as your daughter, and permit me to vow eternal duty and
affection." Having so said, she bowed down on Ganem's mother,
who was so astonished that she could return no answer. Fetnah
held her long in her arms, and only left her to embrace the
daughter, who, sitting up, held out her arms to receive her.

When the caliph's favourite had strewn the mother and daughter
all tokens of affection, as Ganem's wife, she said to them, "The
wealth Ganem had in this city is not lost, it is in my apartment
in the palace; but I know all the treasure of the world cannot
comfort you without Ganem, if I may judge of you by myself. Blood
is no less powerful than love in great minds; but why should we
despair of seeing him