Then the people of the village took counsel together to
kill him; but one of them came to me and told me of his
condition, and I went out to him and found him lying prostrate
on the ground. So I wiped the blood from his face and carried
him to the convent, where I dressed his wounds, and he abode
with me fourteen days. But, as soon as he could walk, he left
the convent and returned to the door of the woman's shop, where
he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw him, she came out
to him and said, 'By Allah, thou movest me to pity! If thou
wilt enter my faith, I will marry thee.' 'God forbid,' answered
he, 'that I should put off the faith of the Unity and enter
that of Plurality!'[FN#159] Quoth she, 'Come in with me to my
house and take thy will of me and go thy ways in peace.' 'Not
so,' answered he, 'I will not barter the pious service of
twelve years for the lust of a moment.' 'Then depart from me
forthright,' said she; and he rejoined, 'My heart will not
suffer me to do that;' whereupon she turned her face from him.
Presently the boys found him out and began to throw stones
at him; and he fell on his face, saying, 'Verily, God is my
keeper, who sent down the Book and who protecteth the righteous!'
[FN#160] At this juncture, I sallied forth and driving away
the boys, lifted his head from the ground and heard him say,
'O my God, unite me with her in Paradise!' Then I took him in
my arms, to carry him to the monastery; but he died, before
I could reach it, and I dug him a grave without the village
and buried him there.
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