Meanwhile， Dhat ed Dewahi， after she had spoken with Rustem and Behram， returned to the coppice， where she took her horse and mounting， sped on， till she drew near the host of the Muslims that lay leaguer before Constantinople， when she lighted down from her steed and led it to the Chamberlain"s pavilion. When he saw her， he signed to her with his hand and said， "Welcome， O pious recluse！" Then he questioned her of what had befallen， and she repeated to him her disquieting and deluding report， saying，"Indeed I fear for the Amirs Rustem and Behram， for that I met them on the way and sent them and their following to the King and his companions. They are but twenty thousand horse， and the unbelievers are more in number than they； so I would now have thee send of the rest of thy troops in haste to their succour，lest they be slain to the last man." And she said to them "Hasten！ Hasten！" When the Chamberlain and the Muslims heard these her words， their hearts sank within them and they wept； but she said to them， "Ask aid of God and be patient under this affliction， taking example by those that have been before you of the people of Islam， for God hath prepared Paradise， with its palaces， for those who die martyrs； and needs must all die， but death is most praiseworthy， when it comes in fighting for the Faith." When the Chamberlain heard this speech of the accursed old woman， he called for the Amir Behram"s brother， a cavalier named Terkash， and choosing out for him ten thousand intrepid veterans， bade him set out at once. So he departed forthright and marched all that day and the next night， till he neared the Muslims. When the day dawned， Sherkan saw the dust of them and feared for his companions， saying， "If these troops that are nearing us be Muslims， our victory is assured； but if they be Christians， there is no gainsaying the decrees of Fate." Then he turned to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him， "Fear not， for I will ransom thee with my life from destruction. If these be Muslim troops then were it an increase of God"s favours； but if they be our foes， there is nothing for it but to fight them. Yet do I long to see the holy man once again before I die， so he may pray for me that I may not die except a martyr." Whilst he was thus speaking， behold， there appeared the banners with the words，"There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle" inscribed on them， and he cried out to the new-comers， saying， "How is it with the Muslims？" "They are in weal and safety，" replied they；
"and we come not hither but out of concern for you." Then the chief of the succours dismounted and kissing the earth before Sherkan， said， "O my lord， the Sultan and the Vizier Dendan and Rustem and my brother Behram， are they all in safety？" "They are all well，" answered the prince； "but who brought thee tidings of us？" "It was the holy man，" said Terkash. "He told us that he had met my brother Behram and Rustem and had sent them to you and also that the infidels had encompassed you and were more in number than you； yet meseems the case is the contrary of this and that you are victorious." "And how did the holy man reach you？"
asked Sherkan. "Walking on his feet，" replied the Amir； "and he had compassed， in the space of a single day and night， ten days"
journey for a diligent horseman." "Verily， he is a friend of God，" said Sherkan； "but where is he now？" Quoth Terkash， "We left him with our troops， the people of Faith， encouraging them to do battle with the infidels and rebels." Therewith Sherkan was glad and thanked God for their own deliverance and that of the holy man and commended the dead to the mercy of God saying， "This was written in the Book of Fate." Then they set out for Constantinople by forced marches， and whilst they were on the road thither， behold， a cloud of dust arose before them and spread till the prospect was hidden and the day darkened by it.
Sherkan looked at it and said， "Verily， I fear lest this be the infidels who have routed the army of Islam， for that this dust covers the country and blots out the two horizons." Presently there appeared midmost the dust a pillar of darkness and came towards them， blacker than the blackness of （evil） fortune and more dreadful than the terrors of the Day of Judgment.
Horse and foot hastened up to look at it and know its meaning，when， behold， they saw it to be the recluse aforesaid； so they crowded round him to kiss his hands， and he cried out， "O people of the best of men[FN#112]， the lamp of the darkness， the infidels have overcome the Muslims by craft， for they fell upon them in their tents， whilst they deemed themselves in safety， and made a sore slaughter of them； so hasten to the aid of the believers in the unity of God and deliver them from those that deny Him！" When Sherkan heard this， his heart was sore troubled and he alighted from his horse， in amazement， and kissed the recluse"s hands and feet. In like wise did his brother Zoulmekan and the rest of the troops， except the Vizier Dendan， who dismounted not， but said， "By Allah， my heart revolts from this devotee， for I never knew aught but evil come of these that make a show of devotion to religion. Leave him and hasten to rejoin your comrades for this fellow is of those that are outcast from the gate of mercy of the Lord of the Two Worlds！ How often have I come out to war with King Omar ben Ennuman and trodden the earth of these lands！" "Put away from thee this foul thought，" said Sherkan. "Hast thou not seen this holy man excite the faithful to battle， recking nought of spears and swords？ Wherefore， slander him not， for slander is blameworthy and the flesh of pious folk is poisoned. Look how he encourages us to battle， and did not God love him， He had not rolled up the distance for him （like a carpet）， after He had aforetime cast him into grievous torment？"
Then Sherkan let bring a Nubian mule for her riding and said to her， "Mount， pious man， God-fearing and holy！" But she refused，feigning self-denial， that she might attain her end： and they knew not that the pretended devotee was such an one as he of whom the poet says：
