صفحة 375 من 1116

Had I picked it up he had died on the spot, but as Fate and

Fortune decreed, I saw it not; so he came upon me all unawares

and there befel between him and me a sore struggle under the

earth and high in air and in the water; and, as often as I opened

on him a gate,[FN#252] he opened on me another gate and a

stronger, till at last he opened on me the gate of fire, and few

are saved upon whom the door of fire openeth. But Destiny willed

that my cunning prevail over his cunning; and I burned him to

death after I vainly exhorted him to embrace the religion of

al-Islam. As for me I am a dead woman; Allah supply my place to

you!" Then she called upon Heaven for help and ceased not to

implore relief from the fire; when lo! a black spark shot up from

her robed feet to her thighs; then it flew to her bosom and

thence to her face.