“But I am man, and, being man, can be Moved, sometimes, Christian, by the law which makes Men who are suffering from man’s mistakes Brothers sometimes. I had not heard this tale Of you, the lover, following to jail The woman whom you loved. You bowed your neck Into the iron fettered to the deck, And followed her to prison, all for love? * * * * * “Allah, who gives men courage from above, Has surely blessed you, boy. * * * * * “And you, his queen; Without your love his courage had not been. Your beauty and your truth prevailed on him. Allah has blessed you, too. * * * * * “And you, the grim Killer of men at midnight, you who speak To Kings as peers with colour in your cheek, Allah made you a man who helps his friends. * * * * * “God made you all. I will not thwart his ends. You shall be free. Hear all. These folks are free. You, Emir, fit a xebec for the sea To let them sail at noon. Go where you will. And lest my rovers should molest you still, Here is my seal that they shall let you pass.” * * * * * Throughout the room a sudden murmur was, A gasp of indrawn breath and shifting feet. So life was given back, the thing so sweet, The undrunk cup that we were longing for. * * * * * My darling spoke: “O Khalif, one gift more. After this bounty that our hearts shall praise At all our praying-times by nights and days, I ask yet more, O raiser from the dead. There in your woman’s prison as we fled A hopeless woman blessed us. It is said That blessings from the broken truly bless. Khalif, we would not leave in hopelessness One whose great heart could bless us even then, Even as we left her in the prison pen. She wished us fortune from a broken heart: Let her come with us, Khalif, when we start.” “Go, you,” the Khalif said, “and choose her forth.” * * * * * At noon the wind was blowing to the north; A swift felucca with a scarlet sail Was ready for us, deep with many a bale Of gold and spice and silk, the great King’s gifts. The banners of the King were on her lifts. The King and all his court rode down to see Us four glad souls put seawards from Saffee. * * * * *