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I glanced at him with one glance of eyes which caused me a

thousand sighs; and my heart was at once taken captive wise, so I

asked him, "O my lord and my love, tell me that whereof I

questioned thee;" and he answered, "Hearing is obeying! Know O

handmaid of Allah, that this city was the capital of my father

who is the King thou sawest on the throne transfigured by Allah's

wrath to a black stone, and the Queen thou foundest in the alcove

is my mother. They and all the people of the city were Magians

who fire adored in lieu of the Omnipotent Lord[FN#319] and were

wont to swear by lowe and heat and shade and light and the

spheres revolving day and night. My father had ne'er a son till

he was blest with me near the last of his days; and he reared me

till I grew up and prosperity anticipated me in all things.