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Fatimeh the Recluse, and he proceeded to do like as she had been used to do, laying hands on those in pain and reciting for this one the Fatiheh[1] and for that a[nother] chapter of the Koran and praying for a third. Then, for the much crowding upon him and the clamour of the folk, the Lady Bedrulbudour heard and said to her women, “See what is to do and what is the cause of this noise.” So the Aga of the eunuchs went to see what was toward and returning, said to her, “O my lady, this clamour is because of the Lady Fatimeh. An it please thee bid me fetch her to thee, so thou mayst ask a blessing of her....” And the Lady Bedrulbudour said to him, “Go and bring her to me; marry, this long while past I have still heard of her gifts and excellences and have yearned to see her, so I may ask a blessing of her, for that the folk are beyond measure abundant [in talk] of her[2] virtues.” So the Aga went
- ↑ The first or “opening” chapter of the Koran.
- ↑ En nas bi ’l ghewali kethir an, lit. “The folk in [things] precious (or dear or high-priced, ghewali, pl. of ghalin, also of ghaliyeh, a kind of perfume) are abundant anent.” This is a hopelessly obscure passage, and I can only guess at its meaning. Bi ’l ghewali may be a clerical error for bi ’l ghalibi, “for the most part, in general,” in which case we may read, “Folk in general abound [in talk] anent her virtues;” or bi ’l ghewali may perhaps be used in the sense (of which use, however, I know no instance) of “in excessive estimation,” in which latter case the passage
