Thereupon Abrizeh wept sore and said to him， "Out on thee， O Ghezban！ How darest thou demand this of me， O son of shame and nursling of lewdness？ Dost thou think all folk are alike！" When the pestilent slave heard this， he was enraged and his eyes reddened： and he came up to her and smote her with the sword on her neck and killed her. Then he made off into the mountains，driving her horse before him with the treasure. In the agonies of death， she gave birth to a son， like the moon， and Merjaneh took him and laid him by her side， after doing him the necessary offices； and behold， the child fastened to its mother"s breast，and she dead. When Merjaneh saw this， she cried out grievously and rent her clothes and cast dust on her head and buffeted her cheeks， till the blood came， saying， "Alas， my mistress！ Alas，the pity of it！ Thou art dead by the hand of a worthless black slave， after all thy prowess！" As she sat weeping， there arose a great cloud of dust and darkened the plain； but， after awhile， it lifted and discovered a numerous army. Now this was the army of King Herdoub， the princess Abrizeh"s father， who， hearing that his daughter had fled to Baghdad， she and her maidens， and that they were with King Omar ben Ennuman， had come out with his troops to seek tidings of her from travellers who might have seen her with King Omar at Baghdad. When he had gone a day"s journey from his capital， he espied three horsemen afar off and made towards them， thinking to ask whence they came and seek news of his daughter. Now these three were his daughter and Merjaneh and Ghezban； and when the latter saw the troops drawing near， he feared for himself； so he killed Abrizeh and fled. When they came up and King Herdoub saw his daughter lying dead and Merjaneh weeping over her， he threw himself from his horse and fell down in a swoon. So all his company dismounted and pitching the tents，set up a great pavilion for the King， without which stood the grandees of the kingdom. At the sight of her lord the King，Merjaneh"s tears redoubled， and when he came to himself， he questioned her and she told him all that had passed， how he that had slain his daughter was a black slave， belonging to King Omar ben Ennuman， and how the latter had dealt with the princess. When King Herdoub heard this， the world grew black in his sight and he wept sore. Then he called for a litter and laying his dead daughter therein， returned to Caesarea and carried her into the palace. Then he went in to his mother Dhat ed Dewahi and said to her， "Shall the Muslims deal thus with my daughter？ King Omar ben Ennuman despoiled her by force of her honour and after this， one of his black slaves slew her. By the Messiah， I will assuredly be revenged for her and clear away the stain from my honour！ Else I shall kill myself with my own hand." And he wept passing sore.
Quoth his mother， "It was none other than Merjaneh killed her，for she hated her in secret. But do not thou fret for taking revenge for thy daughter， for， by the virtue of the Messiah， I will not turn back from King Omar ben Ennuman， till I have slain him and his sons； and I will assuredly do a deed， passing the power of wise men and champions， of which the chroniclers shall tell in all countries and places： but needs must thou obey me in all I shall direct， for he who is firmly set on aught shall surely compass his desire." "By the virtue of the Messiah，"
replied he， "I will not cross thee in aught that thou shalt say！"
Then said she， "Bring me a number of damsels， high-bosomed maids，and summon the wise men of the time and let them teach them philosophy and the art of conversation and making verses and the rules of behaviour before kings， and let them talk with them of all manner of science and edifying knowledge. The sages must be Muslims， that they may teach the damsels the language and traditions of the Arabs， together with the history of the Khalifs and the pedigree of the Kings of Islam； and if we persevere in this for the space of four years， we shall attain our end. So possess thy soul in patience and wait； for， as one of the Arabs says， "It is a little thing to wait forty years for one"s revenge." When we have taught the girls these things， we shall be able to do our will with our enemy， for he is a doting lover of women and has three hundred and threescore concubines， to which are now added a hundred of the flower of thy damsels， that were with thy late daughter. So， as soon as we have made an end of their education， I will take them and set out with them." When the King heard his mother"s words， he rejoiced and came up to her and kissed her head. Then he rose at once and despatched messengers and couriers to the ends of the earth， to fetch him Muslim sages. So they betook them to distant lands and brought him thence the sages and doctors whom he sought. When they were before him， he made much of them and bestowed on them dresses of honour， appointing them stipends and allowances and promising them much money， whenas they should have taught the damsels. Then he committed the latter to their charge， enjoining them to instruct them in all manner of knowledge， sacred and profane， and all polite accomplishments； and they set themselves to do his bidding.
