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At the sight my eyes ran over with tears; but the Ifrit covered

her person and said, "O wanton, is not this man thy lover?" She

looked upon me and replied, "I wot him not nor have I ever seen

him before this hour!" Quoth the Ifrit, "What! this torture and

yet no confessing;" and quoth she,"I never saw this man in my

born days, and it is not lawful in Allah's sight to tell lies on

him." "If thou know him not," said the Ifrit to her, "take this

sword and strike off his head."[FN#215] She hent the sword in

hand and came close up to me; and I signalled to her with my

eyebrows, my tears the while flowing adown my cheeks. She

understood me and made answer, also by signs, "How couldest thou

bring all this evil upon me?" and I rejoined after the same

fashion, "This is the time for mercy and forgiveness." And the

mute tongue of my case[FN#216] spake aloud saying:-