Chapter 10

He spoke; and Peran-Wisa turn'd, and strode Back through the opening squadrons to his tent. 185 But through the anxious Persians Gudurz ran, And cross'd the camp which lay behind, and reach'd, Out on the sands beyond it, Rustum's tents. Of scarlet cloth they were, and glittering gay, Just pitch'd: the high pavilion in the midst 190 Was Rustum's, and his men lay camp'd around. And Gudurz enter'd Rustum's tent, and found Rustum: his morning meal was done, but still The table stood beside him, charg'd with food; A side of roasted sheep, and cakes of bread, 195 And dark green melons; and there Rustum sate Listless, and held a falcon on his wrist, And play'd with it; but Gudurz came and stood Before him; and he look'd, and saw him stand, And with a cry sprang up, and dropp'd the bird, 200 And greeted Gudurz with both hands, and said:--

"Welcome! these eyes could see no better sight. What news! but sit down first, and eat and drink."

But Gudurz stood in the tent door, and said:-- "Not now: a time will come to eat and drink, 205 But not to-day: to-day has other needs. The armies are drawn out, and stand at gaze: For from the Tartars is a challenge brought To pick a champion from the Persian lords To fight their champion--and thou know'st his name-- 210 Sohrab men call him, but his birth is hid. O Rustum, like thy might is this young man's! He has the wild stag's foot, the lion's heart. And he is young, and Iran's[23] chiefs are old, Or else too weak; and all eyes turn to thee. 215 Come down and help us, Rustum, or we lose."

[_Rustum at first declines, but stung by the taunt of Gudurz he agrees to fight--to be unknown by name_.]

He spoke; but Rustum answer'd with a smile:-- "Go to! if Iran's Chiefs are old, then I Am older: if the young are weak, the King Errs strangely: for the King, for Kai Khosroo, 220 Himself is young, and honours younger men, And lets the aged moulder to their graves. Rustum he loves no more, but loves the young-- The young may rise at Sohrab's vaunts, not I. For what care I, though all speak Sohrab's fame? 225 For would that I myself had such a son, And not that one slight helpless girl I have, A son so fam'd, so brave, to send to war, And I to tarry with the snow-hair'd Zal, My father, whom the robber Afghans vex, 230 And clip his borders short, and drive his herds, And he has none to guard his weak old age. There would I go, and hang my armour up, And with my great name fence that weak old man, And spend the goodly treasures I have got, 235 And rest my age, and hear of Sohrab's fame, And leave to death the hosts of thankless kings, And with these slaughterous hands draw sword no more."

He spoke, and smil'd; and Gudurz made reply:-- "What then, O Rustum, will men say to this, 240 When Sohrab dares our bravest forth, and seeks Thee most of all, and thou, whom most he seeks, Hidest thy face? Take heed, lest men should say _Like some old miser, Rustum hoards his fame, And shuns to peril it with younger men_." 245 And, greatly mov'd, then Rustum made reply:-- "O Gudurz, wherefore dost thou say such words? Thou knowest better words than this to say. What is one more, one less, obscure or fam'd, Valiant or craven, young or old, to me? 250 Are not they mortal, am not I myself? But who for men of nought would do great deeds? Come, thou shalt see how Rustum hoards his fame. But I will fight unknown, and in plain arms;[24] Let not men say of Rustum, he was match'd 255 In single fight with any mortal man."

[_Rustum arms; his appearance in the field brings joy to the Persians_.]

He spoke, and frown'd; and Gudurz turned, and ran Back quickly through the camp in fear and joy, Fear at his wrath, but joy that Rustum came, But Rustum strode to his tent door, and call'd 260 His followers in, and bade them bring his arms, And clad himself in steel: the arms he chose Were plain, and on his shield was no device, Only his helm was rich, inlaid with gold And from the fluted spine[25] atop a plume 265 Of horsehair wav'd, a scarlet horsehair plume. So arm'd, he issued forth; and Ruksh, his horse, Followed him, like a faithful hound, at heel, Ruksh, whose renown was nois'd through all the earth, The horse, whom Rustum on a foray once 270 Did in Bokhara by the river find, A colt beneath its dam, and drove him home, And rear'd him; a bright bay, with lofty crest; Dight[26] with a saddle-cloth of broider'd green Crusted with gold, and on the ground were work'd 275 All beasts of chase, all beasts which hunters know: So follow'd, Rustum left his tents, and cross'd The camp, and to the Persian host appear'd. And all the Persians knew him, and with shouts Hail'd; but the Tartars knew not who he was. 280 And dear as the wet diver to the eyes Of his pale wife who waits and weeps on shore, By sandy Bahrein,[27] in the Persian Gulf, Plunging all day in the blue waves, at night, Having made up his tale[28] of precious pearls, 285 Rejoins her in their hut upon the sands--- So dear to the pale Persians Rustum came.

[_Rustum advances; warns Sohrab. Sohrab is young; why should he court defeat and death_?]

And Rustum to the Persian front advanc'd, And Sohrab arm'd in Haman's tent, and came. And as afield the reapers cut a swathe 290 Down through the middle of a rich man's corn, And on each side are squares of standing corn, And in the midst a stubble, short and bare; So on each side were squares of men, with spears Bristling, and in the midst, the open sand. 295 And Rustum came upon the sand, and cast His eyes towards the Tartar tents, and saw Sohrab come forth, and ey'd him as he came.

As some rich woman, on a winter's morn, Eyes through her silken curtains the poor drudge 300 Who with numb blacken'd fingers makes her fire-- At cock-crow, on a starlit winter's morn, When the frost flowers the whiten'd window panes-- And wonders how she lives, and what the thoughts Of that poor drudge may be; so Rustum ey'd 305 The unknown adventurous youth, who from afar Came seeking Rustum, and defying forth All the most valiant chiefs: long he perus'd[29] His spirited air, and wonder'd who he was. For very young he seem'd, tenderly rear'd; 310 Like some young cypress, tall, and dark, and straight, Which in a queen's secluded garden throws Its slight dark shadow on the moonlit turf, By midnight, to a bubbling fountain's sound-- So slender Sohrab seem'd, so softly rear'd. 315 And a deep pity enter'd Rustum's soul As he beheld him coming; and he stood, And beckon'd to him with his hand, and said:--

"O thou young man, the air of Heaven is soft, And warm, and pleasant; but the grave is cold. 320 Heaven's air is better than the cold dead grave. Behold me; I am vast, and clad in iron, And tried;[30] and I have stood on many a field Of blood, and I have fought with many a foe: Never was that field lost, or that foe sav'd. 325 O Sohrab, wherefore wilt thou rush on death? Be govern'd:[31] quit the Tartar host, and come To Iran, and be as my son to me, And fight beneath my banner till I die. There are no youths in Iran brave as thou." 330

[_Sohrab has vague suspicions it is his father. Rustum, in ignorance, coldly waives aside all overtures. They fight_.]

So he spake, mildly: Sohrab heard his voice, The mighty voice of Rustum; and he saw His giant figure planted on the sand, Sole, like some single tower, which a chief Has builded on the waste in former years 335 Against the robbers; and he saw that head, Streak'd with its first grey hairs: hope fill'd his soul; And he ran forwards and embrac'd his knees, And clasp'd his hand within his own and said:--

"Oh, by thy father's head! by thine own soul! 340 Art thou not Rustum? Speak! art thou not he!"

But Rustum ey'd askance the kneeling youth, And turn'd away, and spoke to his own soul:--

"Ah me, I muse what this young fox may mean, False, wily, boastful, are these Tartar boys. 345 For if I now confess this thing he asks, And hide it not, but say--_Rustum is here_-- He will not yield indeed, nor quit our foes, But he will find some pretext not to fight, And praise my fame, and proffer courteous gifts. 350 A belt or sword perhaps, and go his way. And on a feast day, in Afrasiab's hall, In Samarcand, he will arise and cry-- 'I challeng'd once, when the two armies camp'd Beside the Oxus, all the Persian lords 355 To cope with me in single fight; but they Shrank; only Rustum dar'd: then he and I Chang'd gifts,[32] and went on equal terms away.' So will he speak, perhaps, while men applaud. Then were the chiefs of Iran sham'd through me." 360

And then he turn'd, and sternly spake aloud:-- "Rise! wherefore dost thou vainly question thus Of Rustum? I am here, whom thou hast call'd By challenge forth; make good thy vaunt, or yield. Is it with Rustum only thou would'st fight? 365 Rash boy, men look on Rustum's face and flee. For well I know, that did great Rustum stand Before thy face this day, and were reveal'd, There would be then no talk of fighting more. But being what I am, I tell thee this; 370 Do thou record it in thine inmost soul, Either thou shalt renounce thy vaunt, and yield; Or else thy bones shall strew this sand, till winds Bleach them, or Oxus with his summer floods, Oxus in summer wash them all away." 375 He spoke; and Sohrab answer'd, on his feet:-- "Art thou so fierce? Thou wilt not fright me so. I am no girl, to be made pale by words. Yet this thou hast said well, did Rustum stand Here on this field, there were no fighting then, 380 But Rustum is far hence, and we stand here. Begin: thou art more vast, more dread than I, And thou art prov'd, I know, and I am young,-- But yet success sways with the breath of heaven,[33] And though thou thinkest that thou knowest sure 385 Thy victory, yet thou canst not surely know. For we are all, like swimmers in the sea, Pois'd on the top of a huge wave of Fate, Which hangs uncertain to which side to fall. And whether it will heave us up to land, 390 Or whether it will roll us out to sea, Back out to sea, to the deep waves of death, We know not, and no search will make us know: Only the event will teach us in its hour."

[_Sohrab avoids Rustum's blow. Rustum falls on the sand, and has his life spared by his son_.]

He spoke, and Rustum answer'd not, but hurl'd 395 His spear: down from the shoulder, down it came, As on some partridge in the corn a hawk That long has tower'd in the airy clouds Drops like a plummet;[34] Sohrab saw it come, And sprang aside, quick as a flash: the spear 400 Hiss'd, and went quivering down into the sand, Which it sent flying wide: then Sohrab threw In turn, and full struck Rustum's shield: sharp rang, The iron plates rang sharp, but turn'd the spear. And Rustum seiz'd his club, which none but he 405 Could wield; an unlopp'd trunk it was, and huge, Still rough; like those which men in treeless plains To build them boats fish from the flooded rivers, Hyphasis or Hydaspes,[35] when, high up By their dark springs, the wind in winter-time 410 Has made in Himalayan forests wrack,[36] And strewn the channels with torn boughs; so huge The club which Rustum lifted now, and struck One stroke; but again Sohrab sprang aside Lithe as the glancing snake, and the club came 415 Thundering to earth and leapt from Rustum's hand. And Rustum follow'd his own blow and fell To his knees, and with his fingers clutch'd the sand: And now might Sohrab have unsheath'd his sword, And pierc'd the mighty Rustum while he lay 420 Dizzy, and on his knees, and chok'd with sand: But he look'd on, and smil'd, nor bar'd his sword, But courteously drew back, and spoke, and said:--

"Thou strik'st too hard: that club of thine will float Upon the summer floods, and not my bones, 425 But rise, and be not wroth: not wroth am I: No, when I see thee, wrath forsakes my soul. Thou say'st thou art not Rustum: be it so. Who art thou then, that canst so touch my soul? Boy as I am, I have seen battles too; 430 Have waded foremost in their bloody waves, And heard their hollow roar of dying men; But never was my heart thus touch'd before. Are they from Heaven, these softenings of the heart? O thou old warrior, let us yield to Heaven! 435 Come, plant we here in earth our angry spears, And make a truce, and sit upon this sand, And pledge each other in red wine, like friends, And thou shalt talk to me of Rustum's deeds. There are enough foes in the Persian host 440 Whom I may meet, and strike, and feel no pang, Champions enough Afrasiab has, whom thou Mayst fight, fight them, when they confront thy spear. But oh, let there be peace 'twixt thee and me!"

He ceas'd: but while he spake, Rustum had risen, 445 And stood erect, trembling with rage: his club He left to lie, but had regain'd his spear, Whose fiery point now in his mail'd right hand Blaz'd bright and baleful, like that autumn star,[37] The baleful sign of fevers: dust had soil'd 450 His stately crest, and dimm'd his glittering arms. His breast heav'd; his lips foam'd; and twice his voice Was chok'd with rage: at last these words broke away:--

[_Rustum in wounded pride returns furiously to the combat. He shouts his cry of "Rustum!" Sohrab incautiously at the sound exposes his side to a wound and falls_.]

"Girl! nimble with thy feet, not with thy hands! Curl'd minion,[38] dancer, coiner of sweet words! 455 Fight; let me hear thy hateful voice no more! Thou art not in Afrasiab's gardens now With Tartar girls, with whom thou art wont to dance; But on the Oxus sands, and in the dance Of battle, and with me, who make no play 460 Of war: I fight it out, and hand to hand. Speak not to me of truce, and pledge, and wine! Remember all thy valour: try thy feints And cunning: all the pity I had is gone: Because thou hast sham'd me before both the hosts 465 With thy light skipping tricks, and thy girl's wiles."

He spoke; and Sohrab kindled at his taunts, And he too drew his sword: at once they rush'd Together, as two eagles on one prey Come rushing down together from the clouds, 470 One from the east, one from the west: their shields Dash'd with a clang together, and a din Rose, such as that the sinewy woodcutters Make often, in the forest's heart at morn, Of hewing axes, crashing trees: such blows 475 Rustum and Sohrab on each other hail'd. And you would say that sun and stars took part In that unnatural conflict; for a cloud Grew suddenly in heaven, and dark'd the sun Over the fighters' heads; and a wind rose 480 Under their feet, and moaning swept the plain, And in a sandy whirlwind wrapp'd the pair. In gloom they twain were wrapp'd, and they alone; For both the on-looking hosts on either hand Stood in broad daylight, and the sky was pure, 485 And the sun sparkled on the Oxus stream. But in the gloom they fought, with bloodshot eyes And labouring breath; first Rustum struck the shield Which Sohrab held stiff out: the steel-spik'd spear Rent the tough plates, but failed to reach the skin, 490 And Rustum pluck'd it back with angry groan. Then Sohrab with his sword smote Rustum's helm, Nor clove its steel quite through; but all the crest He shore away, and that proud horsehair plume, Never till now defil'd, sunk to the dust; 495 And Rustum bow'd his bead; but then the gloom Grew blacker: thunder rumbled in the air, And lightnings rent the cloud; and Ruksh, the horse, Who stood at hand, utter'd a dreadful cry: No horse's cry was that, most like the roar 500 Of some pain'd desert lion, who all day Has trail'd the hunter's javelin in his side, And comes at night to die upon the sand:-- The two hosts heard that cry, and quak'd for fear, And Oxus curdled as it cross'd his stream. 505 But Sohrab heard, and quail'd not, but rush'd on, And struck again; and again Rustum bow'd His head; but this time all the blade, like glass, Sprang in a thousand shivers on the helm, And in his hand the hilt remain'd alone. 510 Then, Rustum rais'd his head: his dreadful eyes Glar'd, and he shook on high his menacing spear, And shouted, Rustum! Sohrab heard that shout, And shrank amaz'd: back he recoil'd one step, And scann'd with blinking eyes the advancing form; 515 And then he stood bewilder'd; and he dropp'd His covering shield, and the spear pierc'd his side. He reel'd, and staggering back, sunk to the ground. And then the gloom dispers'd, and the wind fell, And the bright sun broke forth, and melted all 520 The cloud; and the two armies saw the pair; Saw Rustum standing, safe upon his feet, And Sohrab, wounded, on the bloody sand.

[_Sohrab says his fall will be avenged by Rustum_.]

Then, with a bitter smile, Rustum began;-- "Sohrab, thou thoughtest in thy mind to kill 525 A Persian lord this day, and strip his corpse, And bear thy trophies to Afrasiab's tent. Or else that the great Rustum would come down Himself to fight, and that thy wiles would move His heart to take a gift, and let thee go. 530 And then that all the Tartar host would praise Thy courage or thy craft, and spread thy fame, To glad thy father in his weak old age. Fool! thou art slain, and by an unknown man! Dearer to the red jackals shall thou be, 535 Than to thy friends, and to thy father old."

And with a fearless mien Sohrab replied:-- "Unknown thou art; yet thy fierce vaunt is vain. Thou dost not slay me, proud and boastful man! No! Rustum slays me, and this filial heart. 540 For were I match'd with ten such men as thou, And I were he who till to-day I was, They should be lying here, I standing there. But that beloved name unnerv'd my arm-- That name, and something, I confess, in thee, 545 Which troubles all my heart, and made my shield Fall; and thy spear transfix'd an unarm'd foe. And now thou boastest, and insult'st my fate. But hear thou this, fierce man, tremble to hear! The mighty Rustum shall avenge my death! 550 My father, whom I seek through all the world, He shall avenge my death, and punish thee!"

As when some hunter in the spring hath found A breeding eagle sitting on her nest, Upon the craggy isle of a hill lake, 555 And pierc'd her with an arrow as she rose, And follow'd her to find her where she fell Far off;--anon her mate comes winging back From hunting, and a great way off descries His huddling young left sole; at that, he checks 560 His pinion, and with short uneasy sweeps Circles above his eyry, with loud screams Chiding his mate back to her nest; but she Lies dying, with the arrow in her side, In some far stony gorge out of his ken, 565 A heap of fluttering feathers: never more Shall the lake glass her, flying over it; Never the black and dripping precipices Echo her stormy scream as she sails by:-- As that poor bird flies home, nor knows his loss, 570 So Rustum knew not his own loss, but stood Over his dying son, and knew him not.

[_Rustum anxiously says he never had a son, but only a daughter_.]

But with a cold, incredulous voice, he said:-- "What prate is this of fathers and revenge? The mighty Rustum never had a son." 575

And, with a failing voice, Sohrab replied:-- "Ah yes, he had! and that lost son am I. Surely the news will one day reach his ear, Reach Rustum, where he sits, and tarries long, Somewhere, I know not where, but far from here; 580 And pierce him like a stab, and make him leap To arms, and cry for vengeance upon thee. Fierce man, bethink thee, for an only son! What will that grief, what will that vengeance be! Oh, could I live, till I that grief had seen! 585 Yet him I pity not so much, but her, My mother, who in Ader-baijan dwells With that old king, her father, who grows grey With age, and rules over the valiant Koords.[39] Her most I pity, who no more will see 590 Sohrab returning from the Tartar camp, With spoils and honour, when the war is done. But a dark rumour will be bruited up,[40] From tribe to tribe, until it reach her ear; And then will that defenceless woman learn 595 That Sohrab will rejoice her sight no more, But that in battle with a nameless foe, By the far distant Oxus, he is slain."

[_The truth breaks in upon Rustum. Again he charges Sohrab with a false tale_.]