mency and have you no fear of God, that I, a stranger
maid, you cast me into a calamity like this? What answer will you give
unto God [135] concerning this treason that you have wroughten with me?"

But her weeping and her words availed her nothing, and they ceased not
to fare on with her till they came to the King of the Jinn, to whom they
straightway presented her. When he beheld her, she pleased him and he
turned to Zein ul Asnam and said to him. "Verily, the girl whom thou
hast brought me is exceeding in beauty and surpassing in loveliness; but
the goodliness of thy loyalty and shine overmastering of thyself for my
sake is fairer than she in mine eyes. So return now to thy place and
the ninth image that thou seekest of me thou shalt find, on thy return,
beside the other images; for I will send it to thee by one of my slaves
of the Jinn." Accordingly, Zein ul Asnam kissed the King's hand and
returned with Mubarek to Cairo; but, when they came thither, he chose
not to abide with Mubarek longer than a resting-while, of the excess of
his longing and his yearning to see the ninth image. Withal he ceased
not from mourning, bethinking him of the young lady and her grace and
goodliness; and he fell to lamenting and saying, "Alas for the loss of
my delights that were because of thee, O pearl of beauty and loveliness,
thou whom I took from thy parents and presented to the King of the Jinn!
Alack, the pity of it!" And [136] he chid himself for the deceit and the
perfidy which he had practised upon the young lady's parents and how he
had brought her to the King of the Jinn.

Then he set out and gave not over journeying till he came to Bassora
and entering his palace, saluted his mother and told her all that had
befallen him; whereupon quoth she to him, "Arise, O my son, so thou
mayst [137] see this ninth image, for that I am exceeding rejoiced at
its presence with us." So they both descended into the underground hall,
wherein were the eight images, and found there a great marvel; to wit,
instead of the ninth image, they beheld the young lady, resembling the
sun in her loveliness. The prince knew her, when he saw her, and she
said to him, "Marvel not to find me here in place of that which thou
soughtest; methinketh thou wilt not repent thee an thou take me in the
stead of the ninth image." "No, by Allah, oh my beloved!" replied Zein
ul Asnam, "For that thou art the end of my seeking and I would not
exchange thee for all the jewe