t through Your favor and support we shall be saved.
Deign, then, to look into this affair, and to overlook our past mistakes."

Replying, the Blessed Beauty declared with finality that intervention in
affairs of this kind was abhorrent to Him. They kept on pleading with Him,
however. They remained a whole week in the family apartments, clamoring
every morning and evening for favor and grace. "We will not lift our heads
from off this Threshold," they said. "We will seek sanctuary here in this
house; we will remain here, by the door of Him Who guards the angels,
until He shall deign to look into our concerns and to save us from our
oppressors."

Each day, Baha'u'llah would counsel them, saying, "Matters of this kind
are in the hands of the mujtahids and the government authorities. We do
not interfere in such affairs." But they kept on with their importunities,
insisting, imploring, begging for help. It happened that the house of
Baha'u'llah was bare of worldly goods, and these ladies, accustomed to the
best of everything, could hardly be satisfied with bread and water. Food
had to be procured for them on credit. Briefly, from every direction,
there were problems.

Finally one day Baha'u'llah summoned me to His presence. "These esteemed
ladies," He said, "with all their exactions, have put Us to considerable
inconvenience. There is no help for it--you will have to see to this case.
But you must solve this entire, complicated matter in a single day."

The next morning, accompanied by Aqay-i-Kalim, I went to the house of the
late Haji. We called in appraisers and they collected all the jewels in an
upper apartment; the ledgers and account books having to do with the
properties were placed in a second room; the costly furnishings and art
objects of the house in a third. A number of jewelers then went to work
and set a value on the gems. Other experts appraised the house, the shops,
the gardens, the baths. As soon as they began their work I came out and
posted someone in each room so that the appraisers could duly complete
their tasks. By this time it was nearly noon. We then had luncheon, after
which the appraisers were directed to divide everything into two equal
parts, so that lots could be cast; one part would be that of the
daughters, and one that of the son, Mirza Musa.(67) I then went to bed,
for I was ill. In the afternoon I rose, had tea, and repaired to the
family apartments of the mansion. Here I observed that the