When I heard this, I wept and looked at him and repeated the
following verses:
You doom my banishment from love and all unmoved remain; You rob
my wounded lids of rest and sleep whilst I complain.
You make mine eyes familiar with watching and unrest; Yet can my
heart forget you not, nor eyes from tears refrain.
You swore to me that you would keep, for aye, your plighted
faith; But when my heart was yours, you broke the oath that
you had ta'en.
Are you secure against the shifts of time and evil chance, That
you've no mercy on my love nor aught of pity deign?
If I must die, I prithee, write, 'fore God, upon my tomb, "A
slave of passion lieth here, who died of love in vain."
It may be one shall pass that way, who knows the pangs of love,
And looking on a lover's grave, take pity on her pain.
Then I wept; and when he heard what I said and saw my tears, his
anger redoubled, and he repeated the following verses:
I left the darling of my heart, not from satiety; But she had
sinned a sin that called aloud for punishment.
She would have ta'en another in to share with me her love, But
the religion of my heart to share will not consent[FN#57].
Then I wept again and implored him, saying to myself, "I will
work on him with words; so haply he may spare my life, though he
take all I have." So I complained to him of my sufferings and
repeated the following verses:
If thou indeed wert just to me, thou wouldst not take my life.
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