Vis and Ramin

MOABAD REPROACHES VIS 181
ments 1 and rent them. The ground seemed like heaven
with her raiment; above, like stars, flashed gems and
pearls. She doffed her clothing woven of gold, and donned
black like a mourner. 2 Her heart was filled with woe, and
her face with dust. She remembered fear for neither
Moabad nor Zard. All her grief was for Ramin, and her
thought for him alone, for the unwelcome parting from him
had happened so suddenly.
When Shah Moabad entered Vis's chamber he saw Vis's
face scratched, and he saw forty pieces of brocade and
satin knotted together lying in front of Vis and the nurse.
They had not had time to undo half of the knots, and
Moabad had been too quick for them. The nurse hastily
hid herself for fear of Moabad, because she was the doer of
all the mischief and shamelessness. Queen
Vis had torii
her clothes and bitten her arms with her teeth ; she had
rent her musky hair, | and
a stream of blood flowed down 207
from her eyes.
Shahinshah said :
"
Vis, born of a dev, and cursed with every curse !
Wisdom is far from thy soul and shame from thine
eyes; righteousness is far from thy character, 3 and thou
4
hast impiously put away honour from thy behaviour and
disgraced thyself and my royalty. Canst thou not tell me
what I should do to thee in return 5 for this ? Or what else
save death is due to thee? Thou art so
6
cunning, and
such a sorceress that a strong castle like this and an open 7
country seem alike to thee. It would not be wonderful if
by thine enchantment thou couldst bring down the stars
from heaven. It is of no use 8 to beat thee, thou hearkenest
not to counsel, no oath 9 nor vow binds thee. Hitherto, I
have tried thee with pleasant and bitter, and with thy
stupidity each was useless. Thou never rejoicest in my
pleasantness nor fearest my anger.
1
Sheekhtna, 186. *
Blue, the colour of mourners, 11, 186.
8
Zme, 87.
*
Uxenarod, 112, 208, 210.
Mukap'ha, 111, 158. Magalit'hi, 198.
7
Vace.
8
Qagva, 188. Zwoari, 161, 217.