Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/243

 yours!" It seemed as if two suns and a moon were united there; they beautified one another. They set out, they departed.

1359. At P'hridon's fairly-builded house they both alighted; he sits down beside his sworn brother Avt'handil; Tariel sat on a throne covered in cloth of gold. To P'hridon, renowned as a hero, they presented that armour.

1360. They said: "At this time we have no other gifts for thee, but we have many other fair things lying in a place (we wot of)." He laid his face to the ground, he wasted not time: "Such a gift to me is worthy of you."

1361. That night they rested as P'hridon's guests; baths he gave them, he gave them gifts of garments in plenty, he clad their beauty in beauty, each (garment) fairer than the other; he gave them rare jewels and pearls in a golden basin.

1362. He said: "This (that I am about to say) is the speech of a bad host; 'tis as if hospitality to you wise (ones) wearied me as if you were mad (ones); but tarrying now avails not, it is better to travel the long road; if the Kadjis outstrip us there is a risk of trouble.

1363. "Why should we use great hosts? We want good and few ; three hundred men suffice us, let us go (swift) like runaways ; in Kadjet'hi for fighting the Kadjis we shall put basket-hilts on our swords; soon shall we find her whose pleasant aloe form will slay us.

1364. "Once aforetime I was in Kadjet'hi; you shall see it, and you, too, shall find it strong; on all sides round about is rock, a foe may not come up to it; if we may not go in privily, it is impossible to engage openly; so we need no army, the squadron cannot follow us secretly."