Thinat'hin Sends Avt'handil to Find the Knight
121	AVTHANDIL sat alone in his chamber, clad only in an undergarment; he was singing and making merry, before him stood a harp. To him came T’hinat'hin's black slave, and said: "She of the aloe form, the moon-faced one, sends for thee."
122	AVT'HANDIL was glad to hear this joyful news. He rose and donned his best and brightest coat. He rejoiced to meet the rose; they had never yet met alone. Pleasant is it to gaze on beauty, and be near one beloved.
123	PROUDLY and boldly Avt'handil came to her, he was ashamed of none. He will see her for whom the tear of woe full oft had flowed. The peerless one sat mournful, she shone like lightning, her rays eclipsed the moon.
124	HER fair form was clad in unlined ermine, she wore negligently veils whose price it were hard to tell; but her black, heart-piercing eyelashes and the thick, long tresses which embraced her white throat were her real adornments
125	PENSIVE she sat in her red veil; she quietly greeted Avt'handil, and gently bade him be seated. The slave placed a seat; he sat down modestly and respectfully. Face to face he gazed on her, full of great joy.
126	AND the maiden answered: "I am frightened, I fear this misery, I should like to be silent, but have no strength and no patience, yet I know the cause that makes thee call me here, my face remains sad and my reason seems lost."
127	THE knight said: "How indeed can I speak to one so dread! If the moon meet the sun it is consumed, it fades away. I am no longer at leisure to think; I fear for myself. Tell me, then, why you are sad and what will relieve you."
128	THE maiden replied with elegant words, not ill-chosen, saying: "Since thou hast hitherto remained far from me, amazed at what has seemed impossible to thee, I must first tell thee of the malady which afflicts me, as a plague.
129	"DOST thou remember, when thou and Rostevan killed game in the plain, how ye saw a certain stranger youth who wiped his tears away ? Since then I have been a prey to thoughts of him. I beg thee to search for him, to seek him within the bounds of the sky.
130	"ALTHOUGH I have been unable to hold converse with thee hitherto, yet from afar have I perceived thy love for me; I know that without pause the hail has fallen from thine eyes upon thy cheek. Thou art made prisoner by love; thy heart is taken captive.
131	"THIS service of mine which I bid thee do befits thee for these two reasons: First, thou art a knight, among all flesh there is none like unto thee; secondly, thou art in love with me, this is true and no slander. Go, seek that brother-in-arms, be he near or far.
132	"THEREBY shalt thou strengthen my love for thee; by delivering me from my sadness, thou shalt cripple the foul demon; plant the violet of hope in my heart, strew roses; then come, 0 lion, I shall meet thee like a sun; meet thou me.
133	"SEEK three years him whom thou hast to seek; if thou find him, come gaily telling thy victory. If thou find him not, I shall believe he was a vision. Thou shalt meet the rosebud unwithered, unfaded.
134	"I SWEAR if I wed any husband but thee, even should the sun become man, incarnate for my sake, may I be cut off for ever from Paradise, may I be swallowed up in Hell, love for thee would slay me, piercing my heart with a knife!"
135	THE knight replied: "0 sun, who causest the jet to blink, what else can I answer, or what can I come to know ? I awaited death; thou hast renewed my will to live. I shall certainly obey thee like a slave in service."
136	AGAIN he spoke: "0 sun, since God has created thee a sun, so that the heavenly planets obey thee wherever they may be, I have heard from you that which has overwhelmed me with grace; my rose shall not wither, thy ray shines generously upon it."
137	ONCE more they made an oath together, they promised each other, they confirmed it and discoursed much, with many a word; what grief they had borne until now became easy. Their white teeth flashed white lightning as if transparent.
138 1	THEY sat together, they made merry, they talked simply of a hundred things, they spoke with their crystal and ruby faces and jet eyes. The knight said: "Those who gaze upon thee become mad; my heart is burned to ashes by the fire that conies from thee."
139	THE youth went away, but he could not bear parting from her, he looked back, his eyes were dazed, crystal hails down and freezes the rose, his graceful form was trembling; he had heart for heart, he had lent his to love.
140	HE said to himself: "0 sun, separation from thee is thus early manifested on the rose: my crystal and ruby have faded, I am become yellower than amber. What shall I do, then, when I cannot see thee for a long time ? This shall be my law: death for the beloved is fitting."
141	HE lay down on his bed, he weeps, it is difficult for him to wipe away the tears, he shivered and swayed, like an aspen in the wind; when he fell into a slumber he dreamed his beloved was near; he starts, he cries out loud, his suffering increases twentyfold.
142	SEPARATION from his beloved made him jealous. Tears like pearls were shed upon the rose, making it tender. When day dawned he apparelled himself, fair to look upon; he mounted his horse, set out and came to court for an audience.
143	HE sent a chamberlain into the hall of audience with a message from him to the king, saying: "0 king, I venture to tell you what I have thought: all the face of the earth is subjected to you by your sword; now, if it be better, I shall make known these tidings to all the vicinage.
144	"I WILL go, I shall travel, I shall wage war, I shall go to the rounds of the marches, I shall, by piercing the heart of your enemies, announce T'hinat'bin's accession; I shall cause the obedient to rejoice, the disobedient will I make to weep, I shall send you gifts incessantly, I shall not be sparing of greeting."
145	THE king expressed his great gratitude; he said: "0 lion, stretching thine arm in battle irks thee not. Behold, this thy counsel is matched by thy valour. Thou mayst go, but what shall I do if it happen that thou tarry long ?"
146	THE knight came in; he did homage, and spoke some words of thanks: "0 monarch, I wonder that you should deign to praise me. Now God will perchance lighten for me the darkness of separation, and let me see again in joy your joyful face."
147	THE king hung upon his neck and kissed him like a son; like unto them have none been, neither upbringer nor upbrought. The knight rose and went away, to him their day seemed separated; Rostevan, wise and soft-hearted, wept for him.
148	AVT'HANDIL set out, a brave knight marching boldly; twenty days he journeyed, many a day he made one with the night. She is the joy of the world, she is treasure and due; he puts not away the thought of T'hinat'hin, of her for whom the flame burns.
149	WHENEVER he came there was rejoicing in the kingdom, nobles met him, they gave generous gifts; the sun-faced had not wasted time in his rapid journey. The drums of joy met them that came into his presence.
150	HE had a strong city to strike terror in the marches; outside was a rock, I tell thee, with an unmortared wall. The knight spent there three days in the pleasant chase; he invited his pupil, Shermadin, to sit in council with him.
151	THIS is the slave Shermadin, mentioned above, brought up with Avt'handil, faithful and self-sacrificing to him. He knew not hitherto of the fire which burned the knight; now Avt'handil revealed the hopeful words of the sun.
152	HE said: "Lo, Shermadin, for this I am ashamed before thee; thou knowest all my affairs and hast given heed to them; but hitherto thou hast not known what tears I have shed; in her from whom I had suffering I now find joy.
153	"I AM slain by love and longing for T'hinat'hin; from the narcissi hot tears moistened the frosted rose; I could not till now show my hidden woe, now has she bidden me hope, therefore thou seest me joyful.
154	"SHE said to me: 'Learn news of that lost knight, then come, I shall fulfil thy heart's desire; I want no husband save thee, even if a planted tree falls to my lot.' She gave me the balm of my heart until that moment burned.
155	"FIRST, I am a knight; I wish to go forth to serve my lady. Faithfulness to kings is fitting, vassal must act as vassal; then, she has extinguished the fire, my heart is no longer consumed to soot; a man must not bend before misfortune, but meet it like a man.
156	"OF all lords and vassals thou and I are most friendly; therefore I entreat thee to hear this from mine own mouth; in my stead I appoint thee lord and chief over mine armies, I could not entrust this matter to others.
157	"LEAD forth the soldiers to battle, rule the nobles, send messengers to court telling the state of affairs, write letters in my stead, present priceless gifts; why should it be known that I am not here ?
158	"REPRESENT me in military duties and in the hunting-field, wait here for me three years, keep my secret; perchance indeed I shall return, my aloe-tree shall not fade; but if I come not back, mourn me, weep for me, utter sighs.
159	"TELL the king forthwith-it is not a desirable deed-announce my death to him, be as if thou art drunk; say to him: 'For him is come to pass the thing which none escape.' Give to the poor my treasure—gold, silver and copper.
160	"THUS shalt thou help me after the best fashion, by this thou shalt aid me most; do not forget me soon, think me often, take good thought of provision for me, pray for my soul. Remember my childhood; let thy heart be motherly towards me."
161	WHEN the slave heard this he wondered, he was alarmed, from his eyes the hot tears poured like pearls. He said: "How can the heart deprived of thee rejoice? I know thou wilt not stay; so I cannot hinder thee in this matter.
162	"WHY didst thou say thou wouldst appoint me in thy stead ? How can I undertake the lordship, how can I imitate thee or resemble thee ? It were better that the earth cradled me too than that I should have to think that thou art alone; rather let us both steal forth, I will accompany thee, take me with thee."
163	THE knight replied: "Hearken unto me, I tell thee truth without any falsehood; when a lover would roam the fields alone he must wander; a pearl falls to the lot of none without buying and bargaining. An evil and treacherous man should be pierced with a lance.
164	"TO whom could I tell my secret? Save thee, none is worthy. To whom can I entrust the lordship save thee, who else can do it well ? Fortify the marches that the enemy may not encamp near. Perchance I shall return, if God make me not to be wholly lost.
165	"HAZARD kills equally be it one or a hundred. Loneliness can matter nought if the group of the heavenly powers protect me. If I come not hither in three years, then will it beseem thee to mourn and wear funeral garb. I will give thee a letter, whoever is my courtier must obey thee."