Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/130

92 Then they who stood about the king

Drew close together, and conferred;

Till that the king stood forth, and said,

"Before the priests thou shalt be heard."

But when the Ulemas were met,

And the thing heard, they doubted not;

But sentenced him, as the law is,

To die by stoning on the spot.

Now the king charged us secretly:

"Stoned must he be, the law stands so.

Yet, if he seek to fly, give way:

Hinder him not, but let him go."

So saying, the king took a stone,

And cast it softly; but the man,

With a great joy upon his face,

Kneeled down, and cried not, neither ran.

So they, whose lot it was, cast stones,

That they flew thick, and bruised him sore.

But he praised Allah with loud voice,

And remained kneeling as before.

My lord had covered up his face;

But when one told him, "He is dead,"

Turning him quickly to go in,

"Bring thou to me his corpse," he said.

And truly, while I speak, O king,

I hear the bearers on the stair:

Wilt thou they straightway bring him in?

—Ho! enter ye who tarry there!