she were descended from a gazelle. And her price, O Commander of the Faithful! is eighty thousand dirhems." Then he added thanks and praise to the Commander of the Faithful, and folded and sealed the letter.
And he sent for the slave-merchants, and said, "Prepare to journey with these girls to the Commander of the Faithful."
But one of them cried, "May Allâh strengthen the Prince! I am an old man and too feeble for traveling; yet I have a son who can take my place: have I permission to equip him?"
El-Hajjâj replied, "Yes." So they made ready and set forth.
And in the course of their journey they stopped at certain places to rest; and the slave-girls slept. And on one occasion the wind blew, and lifted the veil of one amongst them, and the dazzling light of her beauty appeared. And she was a Kûfite, and her name Maktûm. And the son of the slave-merchant saw her, and in one moment was overcome by love.
Now he was a comely youth; and profiting by the inattention of his masters, he went towards her and began reciting:
