The King understood her, and continued, `O Beder el Bedour! I have faith and confidence in you, and your testimony will have in my eyes the value of that of the two Adels. Speak to me without reserve as to what concerns yourself.'

She answered him, `I have not been touched, and however long this might have lasted the negro would not have had his desire satisfied.'

`Is this so?' asked the King.

She replied `It is so!' She had understood what the King wanted to say, and the King had seized the meaning of her words.

`Has the negro respected my honour? Inform me about that,' said the King.

She answered, `He has respected your honour as far as your wives are concerned. He has not pushed his criminal deeds that far; but if God had spared his days there is no certainty that he would not have tried to soil what he should have respected.'

The King having asked her then who those negroes were, she answered, `They are his companions. Alter he had quite surfeited himself with the women he had caused to be brought to him, he handed them over to them, as you have seen. If it were not for the protection of a woman, where would that man be?'

Then spoke the King, `O Beder el Bedour, why did not your husband ask my help against this oppression? Why did you not complain?'

She replied, `O King of the time, O beloved Sultan, O master of numerous armies and allies! As regards my husband I was so far unable to inform him of my lot; as to myself I have nothing to say but what you know by the verses I sang just now. I have given advice to men about women from the first verse to the last.'

The King said, `O Beder el Bedour! I like you, I have put the question to you in the name of the chosen Prophet (the benediction and mercy of God be with him!). Inform me of everything; you have nothing to fear; I give you the aman complete. Has this negro not enjoyed you? For I presume that none of you were out of reach of his attempts and had her honour safe.'

She replied, `O King of our time, in the name of your high rank and your power! Look! He, about whom you ask me, I would not have accepted him as a legitimate husband; how could I have consented to grant him the favour of an illicit love?'

The King said, `You appear to be sincere, but the verses I heard you sing have roused doubts in my soul.'

She replied, `I had three motives for employing that language. Firstly, I was at that moment in heat, like a young mare; secondly, Eblis had excited my natural parts; and lastly, I wanted to quiet the negro and make him have patience, so that he should grant me some delay and leave me in peace until God would deliver me of him.'

The King said, `Do you speak seriously?' She was silent. Then the King cried, `O Beder el Bedour, you alone shall be pardoned!' She understood that it was she only that the King would spare from the punishment of death. He then cautioned her that she must keep the secret, and said he wanted to leave now.

Then all the women and virgins approached Beder el Bedour and implored her, saying, `Intercede for us, for you have power over the King'; and they shed tears over her hands, and in despair threw themselves down.