Hear me, O Lord, and grant my
request.'
The young man cast his eyes upon me, and said, 'My good lady, pray
let me know who you are, and what has brought you to this desolate
city; and, in return, I will tell you who I am, what happened to
me, why the inhabitants of this city are reduced to that state you
see them in, and why I alone am safe and sound in the midst of such
a terrible disaster.'
I told him in few words from whence I came, what made me undertake
the voyage, and how I had safely arrived at the port after twenty
days' sailing; and when I had done I prayed him to fulfil his
promise, and told him how much I was struck by the frightful
desolation which I had seen in all places as I came along.
'My dear lady,' said the young man, 'have patience for a moment.'
At these words he shut the Koran, put it into a rich case, and laid
it in the niche. I took that opportunity of observing him, and
perceived so much good-nature and beauty in him that I felt strange
emotion. He made me sit down by him; and before he began his
discourse I could not forbear saying to him, 'Sir, I can scarcely
have patience to wait for an account of all those wonderful things
that I have seen since the first time I came into your city; and my
curiosity cannot be satisfied too soon: therefore pray, sir, let me
know by what miracle you alone are left alive among so many persons
that have died in so strange a manner.
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