doors of her treasures and chambers, take her maidservants, and go to a sister of hers, not returning until after the departure of the people. That was immense upon me and clouded my times. Her family was from the people of virtue, status, science, ease, and owners of blessings. I would not address her regarding that nor reproach her.

One day, I wore the finest of my clothes, perfumed myself, put on my cloak (ṭaylasān), and intended to go out from her presence. She summoned me, pressed me to her chest, kissed me between my eyes, and said: "May Allah cause you to reach, my son, what your father reached; may He raise your status, exalt your degree, and cause you to reach your best wish." I said to her—while greed had entered me regarding her: "O my lady, I do not think there is in my town one who knows my knowledge, nor anyone therein who can interpret for me. I have attained of science what the sons of my kind have not attained, and I do not know any among them who equals me." She said to me: "Is this your opinion of yourself? This is proof of your ignorance and lack of understanding." I said: "O my lady, make known to me the way my father used to tread and the path he used to follow, so that I may tread his way and follow his trace. I have disapproved of one thing from you and wanted to reproach you for it but I refrained." She asked: "And what action did you disapprove of from me?" I said to her: "Leaving your house, taking your maidservants, locking the doors of your treasures, and your annoyance with me at the time I bring my brothers and friends to honor them, despite your knowledge of their status and positions and that they are among those from whom no one oversteps into ugliness."

She said to me: "Since you have reminded me of this, I shall make known to you of their conditions what is hidden from you." I said to her: "Make known to me what you disapproved of from me so that the knowledge of that is with me and I may know it." She said: "What I disapproved of from you is that when they are present at your house, they do not cease looking at the door to see who enters and exits. If the curtain is raised, they contemplate who is behind it. If a maidservant