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motion, and he abideth presently at home in his palace and is exceeding jealous over his daughter and her bringing up.[1] Methinketh this damsel will suit your Highness’s mind, and she will rejoice in an Amir like your Highness, as also will her parents.” Quoth Zein ul Asnam, “God willing, this damsel whereof thou speakest will answer my requirement and the accomplishment of our desire shall be at thy hands;[2] but, O our lord the Imam, before all things my wish is to see her, so I may know an she be chaste or not. As for her beauty, I am assured of[3] your worship’s sufficiency and am content to trust to your word concerning her loveliness, to wit, that she is surpassing; but, for her chastity, you cannot avail to testify with certitude of her case.” “And how,” asked the Imam, “can it be possible unto you, O my lord the Amir, to know from her face that she is pure? An this be so, your highness is skilled in physiognomy. However, an your highness will vouchsafe to accompany me, I will carry you to
- ↑ Terbiyeh. This word is not sufficiently rendered by “education,” which modern use has practically restricted to scholastic teaching, though the good old English phrase “to bring up” is of course a literal translation of the Latin educare.
- ↑ i.e. “I shall owe it to thee.”
- ↑ Lit. “It is certain to me,” Constat mihi, fe-meikeni (vulg. for fe-yekin) indi.
