Princess of France

Soon after Isabella was
taken to the large room in which her friends were sitting and the monk informed
them that Princess Arkia would come shortly after finishing her preliminary
prayer and then he left. Now Mirano, Mertha and Hanana found the opportunity
to talk secretly to Isabella. They had full talk about their present situation
and various plans were discussed about releasing Isabella. It was put to
Isabella that, in order to be relieved of her permanent troubles, she should
temporarily become a Christian. But Isabella spurned at the suggestion and
said that whatever trouble came to her in connection with Islam they would
Insha Allah (God willing) be an atonement for her sins and strengthen the
faith, and if God wanted her to be released from the clutches of these oppressors,
He will provide means for it, otherwise God's Will be done. After full discussion
a plan was thought out on which all agreed and, after making up their minds,
the girls engaged in prayer. Isabella's prayer was simply this verse of the
Quran: "My
Fosterer, take me in with truth." Mirano began to recite salutations to
the Prophet and other girls recited prayer appropriate to the occasion. Then
the door opened and the Princess of France came in. She was welcomed by all.



Arkia: I am very sorry that Isabella has left the fold of the Lord and has
allied herself with apostasy. I wonder why Satan has possessed her. Just last
night I have seen in my dream that eminent Muslim divines were burning in Hell
and this unlucky girl also wants to join them. If she takes up the Cross of
the Lord again on her shoulders and lives with me just for a few days I will
let her see the Lord.



Mirano: Surely it is most shameful that the daughter of the spiritual father
has thus become an apostate. This is why we have brought her to you today that
you may influence her with your spiritual powers, and bring her back at the feet
of the Lord. She could not be silenced by argument, but now it is necessary to
convert her by spiritual influence.



Arkia: Very well. Just today an effort will be made by prayer and austerities
to turn Isabella towards Virgin Mary and I am sure that she will come round by
the morning. I quite see that the Lord is waiting for Isabella with open arms
and Isabella is also ready to go into his arms. You may not worry. Just see what
happens by the morning. (Here Isabella wanted to say something but Mertha beckoned
her to keep quiet.)



When Arkia had spoken of her miracles, the door opened again and the same chief
monk entered and, addressing Mirano, asked her if she needed some more nuns.
Mirano thanked him and said that she did not need any more but requested him
that if he could come once or twice in the night and give them his advice it
will be very good of him. The monk promised to look them up after every two
hours and would carry out all their requests, and then left and the door was
closed.



Now there was just half an hour for the midnight and the girls sat down for prayer
along with Arkia who sat before the statue of Virgin Mary. The girls took their
places ten paces apart from one another. Mirano took up her seat near Isabella
so that if she wanted to convey something important she could do that easily
and others might not know it.



After an hour was spent in prayer Mirano whispered to Isabella: Look here. You
should not interrupt me whatever I say, but just listen quietly and accept what
I say. Arkia in her zeal of sainthood did very curiouss things, sometimes she
extended her hands as if trying to take someone in her arms, sometimes she wept
and sometimes cried painfully and uttered again and again: Yes, yes. Your Lord
may bless
you. The Holy Ghost may soon help us. At about one in the night Mirano raised
an outcry and feigned faint. Isabella sat stiffly at her seat, but Arkia, Mertha
and Hanana rushed to Mirano and wanted to revive her by sprinkling water but
Arkia stopped them saying that Mirano had certainly seen the Lord and their prayer
of that day would surely end in success

. Do not worry, she said, it is our good
fortune that the Lord has come to our monastery. (Going near Isabella) Well,
Isabella, do you still hesitate in lifting the Cross of our Lord ? Isabella
did not reply and continued to listen in silence. Isabella's silence further
convinced Arkia that the Lord had surely descended there and cast his blessing
eyes on Isabella. Mirano still continued in her swoon when the chief monk entered
the room and was perturbed to see Mirano faint and cried : Oh! what has happened
? Arkia promptly narrated the story of her superstition and said with firm
faith that the Lord had descended on Isabella which the monk immediately confirmed
as he already believed in the saintliness of Arkia. At last with great effort
Mirano was revived and regained her senses.



Chief monk: Well, Mirano, how are you ? Give us some good tidings.



Mirano (pointing to Arkia) : It is all the manifestation of her saintliness
and blessing. With her. attention she made me see the Lord.



Arkia: Lord be glorified! Blessed be the name of crucified Christ!



Monk: Well, well! What did you see ?



Mirano: I was absorbed in prayer when I saw a very handsome and graceful person
rushing towards me and he looked in truth at Isabella and smiled.



Monk: Congratulation, congratulation.



Mirano : I was intently looking at the person when he turned towards me. I
saw a mark on his face on which was written "The Holy Ghost" with
light letters. (Here Isabella was suddenly forced to laugh but she suppressed
it

by coughing.)



Arkia: O Lord ! Glorified be Thy Name!



Mirano: Then he took out a phial and poured a few drops on the head of Isabella.



Monk: Surely, they were drops of faith. Isabella, your luck has brightened.



Mirano: Thereafter the Holy Ghost told me
two things. . . .



Monk: Say what these two things were.



Mirano : He said that there is a sacred Church in the southern part of Cordova
which is now-a-days deserted and in which bones of holy saints are preserved
for pilgrims and seekers of blessings. I am going there. Look, the Lord is
waiting for you there with extended arms to confer blessings.



Arkia: Crucified Lord! Thy Name be glorified. By holy Mary! how lucky is the
revelation. And I had seen the Lord the moment I came here. Do you see how
Mirano's revelation has confirmed what I said.



Monk : Now say what was the other thing which the Holy Ghost said.



Mirano : The other thing. . . .



Monk : Yes.



Mirano : The other thing is not to be told here, as I have been so enjoined.



Monk : Did the Holy Ghost ask you not to reveal it ?



Mirano : Yes, He told me not to reveal it before others.



Monk : At least tell me if it was about some person or some work ?



Mirano : I can say this much that it was about you, holy father. How could
I know that your position is so exalted before the Lord ?



Since the monks and Roman Catholic Christians are very superstitious and easily
led to believe, the monk believed it at once and jump-ed in joy and on hearing
from Mirano "How could I know that you have so exalted a position before
the Lord ?" Arkia fell at the feet of the monk and began to rub her forehead
on them while the monk in the ecstasy of joy stood motionless and could only
say to her: Daughter, have patience ! You will also be with me in

Paradise.



So two hours passed in this demonstration of jubilations when Arkia addressed
the monk. Arkia : What should we do ?



Monk: To seek our Lord we should go to the place indicated to Mirano. (To Isabella:)
Look, O girl, truly it is due to you that the Holy Ghost has descended on us
today. Surely just on meeting the Lord you will become a saint and kings will
seek blessing at your feet.



Mirano : Is it necessary for us to go to that old Church indicated by the Holy
Ghost ?



Monk: Simple girl, have you still any hesitation when the Holy Ghost has ordered
that we should reach there before morning.



Mirano: Well, then, lock up Isabella in the underground chamber and prepare
to start.



Monk: Why ! Should we leave the very person behind for whom the Holy Ghost
has descended here and given us the honour of seeing the Lord ? Look, Isabella
has received a special grace of God, just as Holy Peter, despite being the
bitterest enemy of the Lord, was the recipient of a special grace. So get up,
take Isabella with you and go to the Church.



Hanana : If Isabella slips away on the way ? Monk (laughing) : Strange! Has
the Lord called us to his presence for nothing ? As if he is not aware of even
this that the person whom he has called will slip away.



Arkia : I think we should not delay now for the Holy Ghost has directed that
we should reach there soon. (Looking at the sky:) See I am already seeing the
Holy Ghost. O Lord ! glory to thy Name ! (All join in a loud cry :) O Lord!
glory to thy Name!



Monk : Well, I am asking the donkeys of the monastery to be brought and you
prepare in the meantime. The donkeys are very fast runners and will take you
to the Church in half an hour.

The monk then called some servants and ordered
them to bring the donkeys. The order was promptly carried out, but he kept
his departure a secret. The monk was very happy that Isabella, immediately
on reaching there, on seeing the Lord would lift up the Cross of Christ and
the holy father (Isabella's father) would be struck with wonder on seeing
this miracle. Now, they were all ready to start and Isabella, Hanana, Mertha,
Mirano, Arkia and the monk mounted on fast running donkeys and, at the instruction
of Mirano, Isabella was kept in the middle as a precaution. In a quarter
of an hour's time they reached the Church of Saint Peter. In this Church
the bones of the martyrs, renowned in Christianity, were preserved and Christian
women from distant places came on pilgrimage to receive blessings.



There was yet a long time for the dawn to appear and the awesome atmosphere
of the Church filled the hearts of all with awe. Immediately on entering
the Church Arkia and the monk prostrated before a large skeleton and began
to cry aloud as they hoped that before the morning they will see the Lord
and the Holy Ghost will embrace them.



While there was weeping in the dead of the night on the one side, Isabella
and her three friends were devising their own plans. Suddenly all the four
fell upon the monk who was prostrating and weeping before a skeleton and
two of them caught his hands and the other two his feet and taking out a
rope and rags concealed in their pockets tightly bound the monk's feet and
thrust rags in his mouth. On this sudden and unexpected attack the poor fellow
could not even cry for help. Arkia was prostrating before another skeleton,
hoping to see the Lord. After securing safely the monk they went to Arkia
and whispered in here ear: Come, holy sister! we will show you the Lord.

Arkia, full of zeal, at once rose and when she approached the helpless monk,
she cried in anguish : What is this?



Isabella : This is your Lord to see whom you came here.



Then the girls warned Arkia of her future and preached Islam to her and
said that if she wanted to see the soul of truth and the perfect man she
should recite, La ilaha ill Allah Muhammad Rasulullah [There is none worthy
of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Apostle]; otherwise she would
never be able to see her imaginary Lord till the Dooms Day. So saying the
four girls mounted on the fast running donkeys and quickly left the Church.



After their departure Arkia stood transfixed as if she had lost her wit
and senses. At last in the dim light of candles, the monk beckoned to her
of his plight and Arkia first took out the rags from his mouth and released
his hands and feet.



Hearing his outcries other pilgrims also came up, but Isabella and her friends
were nowhere to be seen.



Isabella with her three friends (Mertha, Hanana and Mirano) coming out
of the Church of Saint Peter mounted their fast running donkeys and driving
them with all speed soon reached Umar Lahmi's house and informed him and
other Muslim divines of all that had happened. Ziad b. Umar was also intimated
of these interesting details. All the Muslims were astonished on the wisdom
and tact of Mirano and congratulated the four guests on their release from
Christian oppression. The four girls came to the meeting of Ziad b. Umar
which assembled after early night prayer at which other eminent divines,
philosophers, medical practitioners, interpreters of the Holy Quran, traditionists,
and historians were present. As nearly all Muslims were aware of the affairs
of Isabella and every second or third day Umar Lahmi was informed of the
day-to-day happenings, all with great joy were anxious to hear their stories.