Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/133

 and fully grown in Eden, him to-day Fate thrusts through with her lance, pierces with her knife. To-day my heart is caught in a net of unquenchable fire. Now know I the way of the world; it is a tale and nonsense."

698. Thus speaking, the tears gush forth, he trembles and shudders; with heart-sigh, with deep groan, his form bends and sways (as he goes). Converse with the beloved is embittered by parting. Alas! O Fate! The end enshrouds and swathes the beginning.

699. The knight went and sat in his chamber; sometimes he weeps, sometimes he swoons, but in spirit he is near his beloved, he is not cut off from her. Like verdure in hoar-frost the hue of his face fades; see how soon lack of sun is apparent on the rose!

700. Accursed is the heart of man, greedy, insatiable; sometimes the heart desiring joys endures all griefs; blind is the heart, perverse in seeing, not at all able to measure itself; no king, nor even death itself, can master it.

701. While he spoke to his heart hearty words, he took the pearls, the love-token of his sun (T'hinat'hin), which had engirt the arm of his sun, and were comparable to her teeth; he put them to his mouth, he kissed them, his tears flowed like Pison.

702. When day dawned there came an inquirer calling him to the court; the knight went forth, proud, gentle, not having slept, unrefreshed by sleep. A host of spectators who had hastened stood crowding one upon another. The king was arrayed for the field; drum and clarion were prepared.

703. The king mounted. How can the pomp of those times be told now? By reason of the beating of the copper drums no word was heard by the ears. The hawks