Ebn Thaher, who only wished to get out of the palace, was obliged to comfort them, and to exhort them to have patience: but the trusty slave again interrupted them. "Madam," said she to Schemselnihar, "you have no time to lose; the eunuchs begin to arrive, and you know the caliph will be here immediately." "O Heaven! how cruel is this separation!" cried the favourite. "Make haste," said she to the confidant, "take them both to the gallery which looks into the garden on the one side, and to the Tigris on the other; and when the night grows dark, let them out by the back gate, that they may retire with safety." Having spoken thus, she tenderly embraced the prince of Persia, without being able to say one word more, and went to meet the caliph in such disorder as cannot well be imagined.