Vis and Ramin

CHAPTER XLV
vis RECEIVES RAMIN'S LETTER
WHEN Vis saw Ramin's messenger 1 and the letter, her
heart straightway began to quake and cry out. She perceived
that the impious Ramin had abandoned his constant
friend. When Moabad gave the letter to Vis, the fire of
grief burned her from head to foot, her blood boiled in her
body, and her heart impelled her to self-slaughter. But at
that moment, for fear of Moabad, for shame of men, and
also for anger at Ramin, she resolved to hide her feelings.
She was like a poppy, 2 in that outside she was gay, after
her wont, and inside her heart was black. Outside she was
like Paradise, and in her heart, through sorrow, like hell.
With a laugh she hid her grief, and passed by like an
ambler. 3
Although she hid her grief,
nevertheless her
face grew yellow as she read the letter. She said to
Moabad :
" I myself entreated this from God, that the | tongue of 271
mine enemies might be shortened, in order that thou
shouldst no longer reproach me for the deed, nor seek
every moment a pretext against me. For this joy I will
give much wealth to the poor and villages to the fire-
shrines, 4 that I may be delivered from grief, and that I
may pass from thy suspicion, that mine enemies may rest
from meditating evil. I have not slept pleasantly for one
night on account of my fear of thee. Now, however, I
shall rest, for there is no longer anything to trouble me.
If the moon be gone away, the sun is left to me. Every
i ,s 214.
3 Thukharigi, 46.
289
2 Qaqacho, 268, 270.
4 SatsetzMilc, 146, 850.