From Memories of Nabil +F13 Historian of the Baha'i Faith; author of "The Dawn-Breakers."
When I was transferred from the Cairo prison to that of Alexandria, the late Siyyid Husayn Appealed to Sharif Pasha on my behalf, protesting that I, being on Ottoman subject, was wrongfully imprisoned by order of the Persian Consular authorities (who possessed no authority over me). I was straightway removed from the lower story of the prison to the higher floor, where there was purer air.
At the same time the Consul was questioned concerning my case.
In this prison I made the acquaintance of M. Faris, a Christian doctor.
He tried to convert me to Christianity, and I endeavoured to make him into a Baha'i; in this, I at length succeeded.
It came to pass that when I was in the Cairo prison, I dreamed a dream: "His Holiness Baha'u'llah, promised me, that after eighty-one days, the hardships under which I was suffering would be at an end."
Now the very day that I was removed from the lower to the upper story of the prison was the eighty-first day after my dream.
Towards the sunset hour I went up on the roof of the prison, where I amused myself by watching those who passed by.
To my amazement I saw, amongst those people, Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim, who was one of the servitors of His Holiness Baha'u'llah.
He had landed, with an escort, to buy some necessary provisions for the continued voyage. I called out to him "Come up, come up."
He was able to persuade his guard to permit him to come up to me on the roof, the guard escort accompanying him.
Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim told me that His Holiness Baha'u'llah, His family, and His attendants had been once
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more exiled. This time their destination was the castle fortress in the city of 'Akka, and now they were on their way to that prison.
This servitor was not permitted to speak any more, but he promised me, ere he was hurried away, that on his return to the steamer, he would mention my name in the Holy Presence.
I was greatly agitated by this episode.
After a few minutes Dr. Faris found me in a very disturbed state of mind.
I had previously related my Cairo dream to him, and he now said:
"To-day is the eighty-first day after your dream, and instead of being happy you are more miserable than ever. Why is that?"
I told him what had happened, that the Beloved of my heart was in that steamer and I had no means of gaining access to His HOly Presence!
The doctor then became as gloomy as myself.
"Had it not been that to-morrow is Friday," he said, "I should have been able to plan some means by which we both could go on board that ship and have the joy of seeing His blessed face."
Doctor Faris said: "Write quickly what you wish to say to Him, and I will endeavour to have your letter, with mine also, taken on board early in the morning to the Blessed Beauty. I know a young man, a watchmaker, who is a Christian--he will doubtless render this service to us."
That night neither the doctor nor myself could sleep.
Early next morning we went up on to the roof to watch the ship, which was visible from our prison. After two hours we heard the whistle of the boat, and the steamer had started.
We trembled as we saw her steaming away, and were full of sorrow that Constantine had not succeeded in doing that great favour for us.
Again we saw the boat stop for a few minutes, then, alas! she started anew.
I cannot describe the turmoil of our minds and the excruciating agony of uncertainty and expectation in those few hours until the return of Constantine, the young Christian man, who
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had undertaken to deliver our message to His Holiness, our Beloved.
The young man, however, came towards us with a packet in his hand.
As he handed it to us, he cried:
"By Heaven, I have seen the Father of Christ."
Doctor Faris, in an ecstasy with tears streaming down his face, seized Constantine and kissed both his eyes, those eyes which had seen the "Beloved."
"O young man, ours was the burning desire, the longing, and the pain of separation. Yours was the bounty and the grace of entering the Presence of the Blessed Beauty."
The packet consisted of a handkerchief which contained a Tablet, written by Baha'u'llah's own hand, addressed to me, an epistle from the Greatest Branch, 'Abdu'l-Baha, and a package of sweetmeats sent by the Purest Branch.
In the Tablet, which was addressed to "Nabil," was also written the reply to the appeal of Dr. Faris. Baha'u'llah assured the doctor "that he would very soon be released form the prison, in spite of the ill-wishes of his enemies."
According to the promise of Baha'u'llah, the doctor was set free on the third day.
He became a devout believer, and began to spread the Holy Cause among the Christians.
One of the attendants wrote a short letter to us describing how Constantine had without any difficulty succeeded in gaining admission to the Holy Presence, when he was able to present our petitions.
Immediately Baha'u'llah revealed the Tablet in answer to those petitions.
He sent for the messenger and, pouring forth divine loving-kindness upon him, entrusted into his hands the Tablet.
After a while I, Nabil, was summoned to the Governor of the prison, who ordered me to begone, and to leave Alexandria, for, he said, my presence in the country created disorder and rebellion.
