When the old woman had ended her verse, her eyes overflowed with tears and her forehead under the unguent shone like gleaming light, and Sharrkan rose and kissed her hand and caused food be brought before her: but she refused it, saying, "I have not broken my fast by day for fifteen years; and how should I break it at such a time when my Lord hath been bountiful to me in delivering me from the captivity of the Infidels and removing from me that which was more grievous to me than torment of fire? I will wait till sun down." So when it was nightfall, Sharrkan and Zau al-Makan came and served her with food and said, "Eat, O ascetic!" But she said, "This is no time for eating; it is the time for worshipping the Requiting King." Then she stood up in the prayer niche and remained praying till the night was spent; and she ceased not to do after this fashion for three days and nights, sitting not but at the time of the Salám or salutation[FN#426] ending with several prayers. When Zau al- Makan saw her on this wise, firm belief in her get hold of his heart and he said to Sharrkan, "Cause a tent of perfumed leather to be pitched for this Religious, and appoint a body servant to wait upon him." On the fourth day she called for food; so they brought her all kinds of meats that could seduce the sense or delight the sight; but of all this she would eat only a scone with salt. Then she again turned to her fast and, as the night came, she rose anew to pray; when Sharrkan said to Zau al-Makan, "Verily, this man carrieth renunciation of the world to the extreme of renouncing, and, were it not for this Holy War, I would join myself to him and worship Allah in his service, till I came before His presence. And now I desire to enter his tent and talk with him for an hour." Quoth Zau al-Makan, "And I also: To-morrow we sally forth to fight against Constantinople, and we shall find no time like the present." Said the Wazir Dandan, "And I no less desire to see this ascetic; haply he will pray for me that I find death in this Holy War and come to the presence of my Lord, for I am aweary of the world." So as soon as night had darkened, they repaired to the tent of that witch, Zat al-Dawahi; and, seeing her standing to pray, they drew near her and fell a weeping for pity of her; but she paid no heed to them till midnight was past, when she ended her orisons by pronouncing the salutation. Then she turned to them; and after wishing them long life, asked them "Wherefore come ye?", whereto they answered, "O thou holy man! diddest thou not hear us weep around thee?" She rejoined, "To him who standeth in the presence of Allah, remaineth no existence in time, either for hearing any or for seeing aught about him." Quoth they, "We would have thee recount to us the cause of thy captivity and pray for us this night, for that will profit us more than the possession of Constantinople." Now when she heard their words she said, "By