Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/158

 whirlwind he galloped down, he rested not from gazing at him.

848. When he saw Tariel he was indeed grieved; (Tariel) sat with drawn face in a state near unto death, his collar was rent, his head was all torn, he could no longer feel, he had stepped forth from the world.

849. On one side lay a slain lion and a blood-smeared sword, on the other a panther stricken down a lifeless corpse. From his eyes, as from a fountain, tears flowed fiercely forth; thus there a flaming fire burned his heart.

850. He could not even open his eyes, he had wholly lost consciousness, he was come nigh to death, he was far removed from joy. The knight calls him by name, he tries to rouse him by speech; he cannot make him hear; he leaped about; the brother shows his brotherliness.

851. He wipes away (Tariel's) tears with his hand, he cleansed his eyes with his sleeve; he sits down near by and only calls him by name; he says: "Know'st thou not me, Avt'handil, for thy sake wandering and mad?" But he heard little, staring with fixed eyes.

852. This is all thus, even as related by me. He wiped away the tears from his eyes, he somewhat recalled him to consciousness; then only he knew (Avt'handil), kissed him, embraced him, treated him as a brother. I declare by the living God none like him was ever born.

853. He said: "Brother, I was not false to thee, I have done what I swore to thee; unparted from my soul I have seen thee, thus have I kept my vow; now leave me; till death I shall weep and beat my head, but I entreat thee for burial, that I be not yielded to the beasts for food."

854. The knight replied: "What ails thee? Why doest thou an evil deed? Who hath not been a lover, whom doth the furnace not consume? Who hath done like thee