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 become the prey of ravens! But as long as I live I shall weep and suffer enough for thee, too.

1285. "Lo, mark the token from the veil that was thine; from one end I have cut off a strip, O mine own; this (the veil) is all that is left to me in place of that great hope; in wrath the wheel of the seven heavens has turned upon us."

1286. When she had finished this letter written to her beloved, she cut off a fringe from those veils; bareheaded, the thick, long locks of her hair became her well, the scent blows from the aloe, breathing through the raven's wings.

1287. That slave departed, journeying to Gulansharo; in one instant he reached P'hatman's, he travelled not many days. When this matter so dear to him had been accomplished, Avt'handil with hands upraised thanks God, with full understanding, not as one bemused.

1288. He said to P'hatman: "The thing desired is timely finished for me; thy great zeal for my sake is (still) unrecompensed. I go, I have no leisure to tarry longer, last year's time is come. Swiftly shall I lead into Kadjet'hi him who will annihilate and destroy them."

1289. The lady said: "O lion, the fire now becomes hotter; (my) heart will be sundered from (thee) its light, thereby will it be darkened; hasten, grieve not for me, the madman will thus become furious. Should the Kadjis arrive before you, going thither will be made difficult for you."

1290. The knight called P'hridon's slaves who attended him. He said: "Corpses hitherto, now indeed are we enlivened; we are renewed by the hearing of what we