Page 617 of 1116

But Hasan of Bassorah followed them to the plain Al-Hasa; and, as

they drew near to the tents, they turned round and saw him close

on their heels; so Ajib was very angry, fearing that the Eunuch

might tell his grandfather what had happened. His indignation was

the hotter for apprehension lest any say that after he had

entered a cook-shop the cook had followed him. So he turned and

looked at Hasan of Bassorah and found his eyes fixed on his own,

for the father had become a body without a soul; and it seemed to

Ajib that his eye was a treacherous eye or that he was some lewd

fellow. So his rage redoubled and, stooping down, he took up a

stone weighing half a pound and threw it at his father. It struck

him on the forehead, cutting it open from eye-brow to eye-brow

and causing the blood to stream down: and Hasan fell to the

ground in a swoon whilst Ajib and the Eunuch made for the tents.