that thou watch over me till God the Most High decree the
accomplishment of His commandment, and when my days are ended,
take thou the necklace and the mantle that El Abbas gave me and
return them to him. Indeed, I deem not he will live after me, and
if God the Most High decree against him and his days come to an
end, do thou give one charge to shroud us and bury us both in one
grave."

Then her case changed and her colour paled; and when Shefikeh saw
her mistress in this plight, she repaired to her mother and told
her that the lady Mariyeh refused meat and drink. "Since when
hath this befallen her?" asked the queen, and Shefikeh answered,
"Since yesterday;" whereat the queen was confounded and betaking
herself to her daughter, that she might enquire into her case,
found her as one dead. So she sat down at her head and Mariyeh
opened her eyes and seeing her mother sitting by her, sat up for
shamefastness before her. The queen questioned her of her case
and she said, "I entered the bath and it stupefied me and
weakened me and left an exceeding pain in my head; but I trust in
God the Most High that it will cease."

When her mother went out from her, Mariyeh fell to chiding the
damsel for that which she had done and said to her, "Verily,
death were leifer to me than this; so look thou discover not my
affair to any and I charge thee return not to the like of this
fashion." Then she swooned away and lay awhile without life, and
when she came to herself, she saw Shefikeh weeping over her;
whereupon she took the necklace from her neck and the mantle from
her body and said to the damsel, "Lay them in a napkin of damask
and carry them to El Abbas and acquaint him with that wherein I