The Man in the Panther's Skin, 1912
1263. He passed the closed gates of the castle as if they had been open; the negro entered, the black-faced, long-haired,cloaked; that sun was affrighted, she thought it was somewhat to harm her; the rose was changed to saffron and the violets to sky blue.
1264. The Kadj said: "Whom think’st thou me to be, and why faintest thou thus? I am P’hatman's slave despatched to thy presence, this letter will justify me, I speak not falsely to thee. Let the sun's rays come forth, O rose, fade not so soon."
1265. The sun-faced marvelled at P’hatman's wonderful news; she split her almonds (opened her eyes), the jets (? black pupils) quivered with the rod of jet (her lashes). The slave gave her the letter with his own hand. She sighs, she reads the letter, she wets it with her hot tears.
1266. She asked the slave: "Tell me, who is my seeker, or who knows me to be alive, treading the earth?" He said: "I will venture to tell you only what I know. When thou wentest forth, since then hath our sun been darkened.
1267. "Henceforth P’hatman's heart hath been torn by lances; the tears she shed are (such as) to be united to the seas. Once already I brought news of thee to her. I call God to witness that for her since then the tear hath not ceased.
1268. "Now there came a certain knight? fair of face; in detail she told him all, what trouble you are in; he with hero-like arm is thy seeker; they sent me, they entreated me to hasten with ceaseless haste."
1269. The maiden said: "What thou hast said, O man, seems to me to be truth. How could P’hatman know from whom I was carried away! Doubtless somewhere is he who burns me with fire. I will write to her; thou also shalt tell how my heart boils."
THE LETTER WRITTEN BY NESTAN-DAREDJAN TO P’HATMAN
1270. "I, the sun-faced, write: O dame, O mother, better than a mother to me! See what the world (Fate) hath done to me its thrall! Alas! there is added to those griefs of mine still another! Now that I have seen thy missive it hath greatly encouraged me.
1271. "Thou didst save me from two sorcerers; thou didst alleviate my woes. Now I am thus held here by the whole force of the Kadjis; a whole realm, many thousand heroes, guard me alone. Ill befell my counsels and resolves (to flee from P’hatman).
1272. "What other tidings hence can I write to thee? The king (i.e., queen) of the Kadjis is not come, nor will the Kadjis yet come; but countless hosts guard me, and with what bravery! (?) What! the quest for me! It is not possible, believe me!
1273. "Whoever is come seeking me is wearied in vain he suffers, he is consumed, he is kindled for me, a flame like fire burns him. But I envy him, he hath seen the sun, thus is he not frozen. Without him, alas! what great pity my life is
1274. "Formerly I told thee not my story, I hid it from thee for that my tongue could not speak it; I spared myself woes. I entreat thee, beg my beloved to have pity and not come in search of me,write to him, send him a message.
1275. "What afflicts me is enough, let him not slay me with (a woe) equal to this: I should see him a corpse, I should die a double death. None can help me, I know this for a truth; this is no gossip. If he (Tariel) will not hearken to thee, stone me with a heap of black stone!
1276. "Thou didst ask me to send a token, show this: I send a cutting from the veils he gave me; these (veils) for his sake are a fair sight to me, though in colour they are black, like my fate."
THE LETTER WRITTEN BY NESTAN-DAREDJAN TO HER BELOVED
1277. "Now will I, sobbing, weeping, write to my beloved; by the tear of that one who burns him is a man's fire quenched." She wrote a letter piercing the heart of the hearers. She splits the rose (opens her mouth);there appears the translucent crystal.
1278. "O mine own! this letter is the work of my hands; for pen I have my form, a pen steeped in gall; for paper I glue thy heart even to my heart; O heart, black (sad) heart, thou art bound, loose not thyself, now be bounds!
1279. "Thou seest, O mine own! of what deeds the world is a doer. However much light shines, for me it is but darkness. The wise know it (the world), therefore they despise it, to them it is contemptible. My life without thee, woe is me! how exceeding hard it is!
1280. "Thou seest, mine own! how Fate and cursed time have parted us; no longer do I glad see thee, my glad loved one; what, indeed, can the heart rent by thee do without thee! Secret thought manifests to thee what is hidden (?).
