[Footnote 258: A proverbial expression, meaning that, as he did not absolutely kill Alaeddin, though doing what was (barring a miracle) certain to cause his death, he could not be said to be his slayer; a piece of casuistry not peculiar to the East, cf. the hypocritical show of tenderness with which the Spanish Inquisition was wont, when handing over a victim to the secular power for execution by burning alive, to recommend that there should be "no effusion of blood." It is possible, however, that the proverb is to be read in the sense of "He who is destined to live cannot be slain."]