Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/199

 1090. Avt'handil of the peerless form passed the city. On the seashore stood a building of red-green stone; in the lower part fair palaces, then above terrace upon terrace, vast, beautiful, numerous, hanging one over the other.

1091. Thither is the sun-faced Avt'handil led by his guide, who says to him in a low voice: "This is the palace of him thou seekest." He shows it to him, and says: "Seest thou him standing on yonder terrace? There he lies to sleep; know this, or thou shalt find him sitting."

1092. Before the door of that luckless youth lay two guards. The knight (Avt'handil) passed, he stole in without making a sound; he put a hand on each of their throats, forthwith he slew them, he struck head upon head, brain and hair were mingled.



1093. That youth lay alone in his chamber with angry heart. Bloody-handed Avt'handil, strong in stature, entered, he gave him no time to rise, privily he slew him, we could not have perceived it; he laid hold of him, struck him on the ground, slew him with a knife.

1094. He is a sun to them that gaze on him, a wild beast and a terror to those that oppose him. He cut off the finger with the ring, he hurled him down to the ground; he threw him from the window towards the sea, he was mingled with the sands of the sea; for him nowhere is there a tomb, nor spade to dig his grave.

1095. Not a sound of their slaughter was heard. The sweet rose came forth; whereby could he have been so