T h e B l a c k S t o n e 21 Loud knocks on the door. Thumal rushes to check. She then returns and says: Thumal: My Lord! Nasr, the Hajib, says Gharib al-Khal is at the door. Al-Muqtadir: Let him in. Al-Sayyida: What happened? Why did he come back? Gharib al-Khal enters holding his sword. His clothes have traces of blood and are torn in places as a result of a battle fight. He is panting, saying: Gharib al-Khal: We headed from here to al-Mukhram where Ibn al-Mu‘taz was. There, we fought against his guards. He managed to escape with his Vizir, Muhammad ibn Da’ud, his Judge, Ahmad ibn Da’ud, and his Hajib, Yumn. But he is currently being chased everywhere by our courtiers led by Mu’nis al-Khadim and Mu’nis al-Khazin. Gharib al-Khal: My Lord! Chaos has spread all over Baghdad, and
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