Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/86

 392. "A slave entered; a wondrous thing befell me. He gave to me in my exceeding grief a letter from Asmat'h; she wrote: 'Thy sun for whom thou longest calls thee. Come! 'Tis better than to weep there and moan at the deed of Fate.'

393. "So much did I rejoice as was fitting. It was twilight, I went forth, I entered the garden gate; where Asmat'h had first met me, there she appeared standing; she said with a smile: 'Enter; the moon awaits thee, the lion.'

394. "I entered the house reared beautiful with terrace upon terrace, the moon shone forth surrounded with rays of light at the full; within the curtain she sat clad in green raiment, majestic and rare, wondrous of face and form.

395. "I went in and stood on the edge of the carpet; the fire in me began to be quenched, the darkness of my heart was lightened, joy rose up like a column. She rested upon a cushion—she was far fairer than the sun's rays—she hid her face from me, she looked up a moment to see me.

396. "She commanded: 'Asmat'h, beg the Amirbar to be seated!' She placed a cushion opposite her to be praised as the sun; I sat down, I gave up to joy my heart abused by Fate. I marvel that my life stays in me (while) I speak the words she said.

397. "She said to me: 'Last time thou wert ill pleased that thou wert sent away without being spoken to. I, at parting, as the sun withered thee up like a flower of the field. Thou wert doomed to shed tears from the narcissus-pool; but for me, bashfulness and reserve are necessary towards the Amirbar.

398. Though great modesty befits a woman towards a man, yet is it much worse not to speak and to hide woes; if I smile outwardly I felt inwardly secret grief; last time I sent the maid I gave her a true message.

399. What we two have hitherto known of each other,