A literary history of Persia

THE TRIAL OF AFSHfN 333" what means your acceptance of the testimony of one inwhom you have no reliance, and whom you do not regard as"trustworthy Then he ? turned to the Mubad and said," Was there a door or a window between my house and thinethrough which thou could'st observe me and have knowledgeof my doings ? " " No," answered the Mubad. " Was I notwont," continued Afshfn, "to oring thee in unto myself, andto tell thee my secrets, and to talk with thee on Persianmatters, and of my love for the things and the people of" "Persia ? Yes," replied the Mubad. " Then," said Afshfn," thou art neither true in thy religious professions, norgenerous in thy friendship, since thou hast brought upagainstme in public matters which I confided to theeinsecret."The Marzubdn of Sughd was next brought forward, andAfshfn was asked if he knew him, to which he replied in thethfacting'negative.Then they asked the Marzubanwhether he knew Afshfn, to which he answeredpeople"^ divine that he did, and, turning to the accused, cried,"O trickster, how long wilt thou defend thyself"and strive to gloss over the truth " ? What sayest thou,"O long-beard? answered " Afshfn. How do thy subjects"write to thee ? continued " the other. As they used to writetomy father and grandfather," replied Afshfn." Tell us howthey address you," pursued the Marzuban. "I will not," saidAfshfn. " Do they not in their letters address thee as So-andsoand So-and-so in the language of Ushrusna ?" demandedthe other, "and does this not signify in Arabic, * to the God ofgods^ from his servant So-and-so the son of So-and-so ? " ' Yes,they do," answered Afshfn. " Do Muslims suffer themselves"to be addressed thus ? cried "Ibnu'z-Zayyat ; what, then,hast thou left for Pharaoh, when he said to his people, * / amyour Lord the Supreme ?'"* " This," said Afshfn, " was thecustom of the people in respect tomy father, my grandfather,1Qur'an, Ixxix, 24.