Now this was at fall of night, yet one look enabled him to recognize
his home, whereby his cark and care were cleared away and he recovered
trust in Allah after cutting off all his hope to look upon his wife
once more. Then he fell to pondering the secret and mysterious
favors of the Lord (glorified he His omnipotence!), and how after
despair had mastered him the ring had come to gladden him, and how
when all his hopes were cut off, Allah had deigned bless him with
the services of its slave. So he rejoiced and his melancholy left him.
Then, as he had passed four days without sleep for the excess of his
cark and care and sorrow and stress of thought, he drew near his
pavilion and slept under a tree hard by the building, which (as we
mentioned) had been set down amongst the gardens outlying the city
of Africa. He slumbered till morning showed her face, and when
awakened by the warbling of the small birds, he arose and went down to
the bank of the river which flowed thereby into the city, and here
he again washed hands and face and after finished his wuzu ablution.
Then he prayed the dawn prayer, and when he had ended his orisons he
returned and sat down under the windows of the Princess's bower.
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