Vis and Ramin

CHAPTER LIX
BAP'HED INFORMS HIS DAUGHTER OF RAMIN'S DESERTION
WHEN Rap'hed had come in from the chase to his daughter
Gul, he made known Ramin's secret, and told her: "Ramin
has become inimical, he has declared his fickleness and
what lies in his heart, he has abandoned love for thee ; if
thou art faithful and servest him till eternity, he is still a
horrible serpent ; as it sets itself to bite so does he to ravage.
A bitter tree bears bitter fruit, however much we water it
with sugar. If brass 1 and lead 2 be burned a thousand
times, they will not thus acquire the colour of gold ; and if
copper 3 be molten a thousand times in the fire, this will not
give it the colour of milk. Since Ramin did not keep Vis's
heart and could not be |
faithful
to her, what prospect of 829
joy is there for thee? Since thou hadst heard his story,
thou didst wrongly and strangely to wed him as thy spouse.
A fickle man must not be trusted. Since his heart always
satiates itself 4 in his excessive pride and cruelty, he has the
nature of a lion ; to seek justice from him and to expect
fruit in a saltmarsh is alike. Why didst thou wed a fickle
man ? Why didst thou trust a perj ured man ? Why didst thou
expect sugar from gall ? But since this was God's decree
for thee, now useless discourse and regret are unprofitable
for us."
Thereupon Ramin came in from the chase. Like a
wounded beast, his sight was dim, and his road was closed.
He was melancholy, his heart was filled with blood, 6 and
1
ItvaU. *
Tquia.
4 "
Var., Since Ramin's heart U always insatiable."
Var.,
fire."
298
s SpiUndri.