But his father forbade him， saying， "Wait till next year， and I will go with thee." When Zoulmekan saw that the fulfilment of his desire was postponed， he betook himself to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman， whom he found standing at prayer. As soon as she had made an end of her devotions， he said to her， "I am dying of desire to see the Holy House of God at Mecca and to visit the Prophet"s tomb. I asked my father"s leave， but he forbade me： so I mean to take somewhat of money and set out privily on the pilgrimage，without his knowledge." "I conjure thee by Allah，" exclaimed she，"to take me with thee and that thou forbid me not to visit the tomb of the Prophet， whom God bless and preserve！" And he answered， "As soon as it is dark night， do thou leave this place，without telling any， and come to me." Accordingly， she waited till the middle of the night， when she donned a man"s habit and went to the gate of the palace， where she found Zoulmekan with camels ready harnessed. So they mounted and riding after the caravan， mingled with the Irak pilgrims， and God decreed them a prosperous journey， so that they entered Mecca the Holy in safety， standing upon Arafat and performing the various rites of the pilgrimage. Then they paid a visit to the tomb of the Prophet （whom God bless and preserve） and thought to return with the pilgrims to their native land； but Zoulmekan said to his sister，"O my sister， it is in my mind to visit Jerusalem and the tomb of Abraham the friend of God （on whom be peace）." "I also desire to do this，" replied she. So they agreed upon this， and he went out and took passage for himself and her and they made ready and set out with a company of pilgrims bound for Jerusalem. That very night she fell sick of an ague and was grievously ill， but presently recovered， after which her brother also sickened. She tended him during the journey， but the fever increased on him and he grew weaker and weaker， till they arrived at Jerusalem， where they alighted at a khan and hired a lodging there. Here they abode some time， whilst Zoulmekan"s weakness increased on him，till he was wasted with sickness and became delirious. At this，his sister was greatly afflicted and exclaimed， "There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High， the Supreme！ It is He who hath decreed this." They sojourned there awhile， his sickness ever increasing and she tending him， till all their money was spent and she had not so much as a dirhem left. Then she sent a servant of the khan to the market， to sell some of her clothes， and spent the price upon her brother； and so she sold all she had， piece by piece， till she had nothing left but an old rug； whereupon she wept and exclaimed， "God is the Orderer of the past and the future！" Presently， her brother said to her， "O my sister， I feel recovery drawing near and I long for a little roast meat." "O my brother，" replied she， "I am ashamed to beg；
but tomorrow I will enter some rich man"s house and serve him and earn somewhat for our living." Then she bethought herself awhile and said， "It is hard to me to leave thee and thou in this state，but I must perforce go." "God forbid！" rejoined he. "Thou wilt be put to shame； but there is no power and no virtue but in God！"
And he wept and she wept too. Then she said， "O my brother， we are strangers and this whole year have we dwelt here； yet none hath knocked at our door. Shall we then die of hunger？ I know no resource but that I go out and earn somewhat to keep us alive，till thou recover from thy sickness； when we will return to our native land." She sat weeping with him awhile， after which she rose and veiling her head with a camel-cloth， which the owner had forgotten with them， embraced her brother and went forth， weeping and knowing not whither she should go. Zoulmekan abode， awaiting her return， till the evening； but she came not， and the night passed and the morning came， but still she returned not； and so two days went by. At this he was greatly troubled and his heart fluttered for her， and hunger was sore upon him. At last he left the chamber and calling the servant of the inn， bade him carry him to the bazaar. So he carried him to the market and laid him down there； and the people of Jerusalem came round him and were moved to tears at his condition. He signed to them for somewhat to eat； so they took money from some of the merchants and bought food and fed him therewith； after which they carried him to a shop， where they laid him on a mat of palm-leaves and set a vessel of water at his head. At nightfall， they all went away，sore concerned for him， and in the middle of the night， he called to mind his sister， and his sickness redoubled on him， so that he abstained from eating and drinking and became insensible. When the people of the market saw him thus， they took thirty dirhems for him from the merchants and hiring a camel， said to the driver， "Carry this sick man to Damascus and leave him at the hospital； peradventure he may be cured and recover his health."
"On my head be it！" replied he； but he said to himself， "How shall I take this sick man to Damascus， and he nigh upon death？"
