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XXXVIII
THE LETTER WRITTEN BY NESTAN-DAREDJAN TO P'HATMAN
1262. "I, the sun-faced, write: O dame,[1] 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.
1263. "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,[2] guard me alone. Ill befell my counsels and resolves (to flee from P'hatman).
1264. "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! [3] (?) What! the quest for me! It is not possible, believe me!
1265. "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!
1266. "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.
1267. "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[4]; this is no gossip.[5] If he (Tariel) will
