Me-thought this was my father's doing to try me, for that he had
consulted me, when the kings sought me of him in marriage, and I
had refused. It was this idea that withheld me from arousing
him, for I thought that if I did aught or embraced him, he would
most like tell my father. When I awoke in the morning, I found
his ring on my finger in place of my own, which he had taken;
and, O my brother, my heart was taken with him at first sight;
and for the violence of my passion and longing, I have never
since known the taste of sleep and have no occupation save
weeping and repeating verses night and day. This, then, O my
brother, is the story of the cause of my (pretended) madness.'
Then she poured forth tears and repeated the following verses:
Love has banished afar my delight; they are fled With a fawn that
hath hearts for a pasturing-stead.
To him lovers' blood is a trifle, for whom My soul is a-wasting
for passion and dread.
I'm jealous for him of my sight and my thought; My heart is a spy
on my eyes and my head.
His eyelashes dart at us death-dealing shafts; The hearts that
they light on are ruined and dead.
Whilst yet there is left me a share in the world, Shall I see
him, I wonder, or ever I'm sped?
I fain would conceal what I suffer for him; 'Tis shown to the spy
by the tears that I shed.
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