Water was sprinkled on her face until she revived, but the beating, the bonds and the excessive humiliation she had suffered had impaired her beauty. She recited: If I am guilty of a crime and have done wrong, I am sorry for what is past and come to ask your pardon. This enraged Nur al-Huda even further and she exclaimed: ‘Do you dare to recite poetry to me, you whore, trying to excuse the mortal sin that you have committed? I had intended to return you to your husband so that I might see for myself lustfulness and your lewd looks, as you seem to be proud of your obscene and sinful behaviour.’ She told her servants to bring her a switch cut from a palm branch, and when they had done that she tucked up her sleeves and began to beat Manar al-Sana from her head down to her feet. Then she called for a plaited whip, one blow from which would have made an elephant start away at full speed, and she used this to strike her victim’s back, belly and all her limbs until she fainted.