“The poor one is herself possessed,” she told Murjânah afterwards. “The servants say a princess of the jinn inhabits her; and she complains because they also harbour inmates. She ought to see a proper exorcist.”

The ladies all agreed to pity her. But Barakah, unconscious of their criticism, pursued her path of dreams with Umm ed-Dahak.

“May fire consume the infidels who thus dethroned thee, who robbed thee of thy land and honours!” cried the latter. “O day of milk, when thou didst fly for succour to the Muslimîn! They will avenge thy wrongs, inshallah, in the time to come. Thy son shall win his birthright back with fire and sword.⁠ ⁠… Mashallah! Do I not behold his state? I see him on a throne, with courtiers prone before him⁠—Muhammad Yûsuf Pasha, styled ‘the Great’⁠—nay, what say I?⁠—the Emir, the King Muhammad in virtue of his mother’s dignity!” cried Umm ed-Dahak with dilated eyes. “By Allah, the most splendid scene I ever witnessed! He is Grand Vizier!”