Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/162

 872. He said plainly: "I will mount; bring forward my horse." (Avt'handil) brought (the horse) and gently helped him to mount; he did not make him pant with haste; he took him towards the plain, he made his graceful form to sway. Some time they rode; going made him seem better.

873. He (Avt'handil) entertains him, and speaks fair words to him; for (Tariel's) sake he moved his coral coloured lips in speech. To hear him would make young the aged ears of a listener. He put away melancholy; he took unto himself patience.

874. When the elixir of grief (Avt'handil) perceived the improvement, joy not to be depicted lightened his rose-like face—(joy which is) the physician of the reasonable, the sigh and moan of the foolish. He who had formerly spoken senselessly now spoke reasonably.

875. They began to converse; he spoke a frank word: "One thing will I say to thee: Open to me what is secret. This armlet of her by whom thou art wounded—how much dost thou love it? How dost thou prize it? Tell me, then let me die!"

876. He said: "How can I tell thee the likeness of that incomparable picture! It is my life, the giver of my groans, better to me than all the world—water, earth and tree. To hearken to that to which one should not listen is more bitter than vinegar!"

877. Avt'handil said: "I truly expected thee to say this. Now, since thou hast said it, I will answer thee, and think not I shall flatter thee; to lose Asmat'h were worse than the loss of that armlet. I commend not thy behaviour in choosing the worser.

878. "This armlet thou wearest is golden, molten by the goldsmith, inanimate, lifeless, speechless, unreasoning;