Now when a week had passed, and Kai Khusrau
Showed not his face, there rose much talk and clamour.
The paladins assembled to a man—
The lords, the sages, and the counsellors—
Such as Gúdarz and Tús, son of Naudar,
And there was much dispute of right and wrong,
About the ways of autocratic Sháhs—
Those that served God and those that did amiss—
And all narrated stories of the great,
The nobles and the sages of the world.

Gúdarz said unto Gív: “O fortune-favoured,
The servant ever of the crown and throne!
Thou didst sustain much travail for Írán,
Abandoning thy country and thy kindred.
A sorry matter now confronteth us—
One that we cannot hold of small account.
Thou needs must set forth for Zábulistán,
Dispatch a mounted courier to Kábul,
And say to Zál and Rustam: ‘Kai Khusrau
Hath turned himself from God and lost the way,
Hath closed the door of audience to the nobles,
And surely is in conclave with the Dív.
We have asked questions and have made excuses,
Appealing to his justice in the case;
He listened much but answered not; we see
His heart distraught, his head fulfilled with vapours,
And fear that he will grow, like Sháh Káús,
Perverse, and that the Dív will make him err.
Now ye are paladins more wise than we,
With greater influence in all affairs,
So whatsoever counsellors ye have—
Men of Kannúj, Dambar, and Margh and Mái,
Star-readers of Kábulistán and all
The sages of Zábul—bring to Írán
To treat this matter. All the realm is full
Of rumours since the Sháh denieth speech
And audience. Now that we have tried all means
We look to Zál to set the matter right.’”
Gív, hearing this, chose out some valiant men,
And went in dudgeon, brooding moodily,
Toward Sístán. Arrived he told to Zál
And Rustam those strange things that he had seen
And heard; to noble Zál he sadly said:—
“We have espoused much grief.” He said to Rustam:—
“Call from Kábul and summon from Zábul
The wise, the astrologers, and archimages
To bear us company.”

Then all set face

Toward Zál and they departed for Írán.
The worldlord stood seven days in prayer, but when
The world-illuming sun shone on the eighth
The audience-chamberlain removed the curtain,
And Kai Khusrau sat on the throne of gold.
Then all the paladins and archimages
Approached. A multitude of prudent nobles
And counsellors stood there before the worldlord,
Who looked on them, received them graciously,
And, as the Kaians used, assigned them seats;
But of those famous, loyal lieges none
Would take his seat or loose his folded arms;
They oped their lips and said: “O turning Heaven!
O worldlord full of justice, bright of soul!
Thine are the power and Grace of majesty;
From earth to sun and Fish all, all is thine.
We stand as slaves before thy presence, we
Thy paladins and faithful counsellors,
To ask why thou hast shut thy court to us.
Now time hath passed thus and our hearts are sore
And sad. If then the Sháh will tell this secret
To us his marchlords, who are all astray,
We will turn seas to land if they annoy him,
And change the robe of dust thereon to musk,
We will rase mountains if they be the cause,
And with our falchions cleave the hearts of foes,
While if the cure be wealth let not the Sháh
Be troubled in respect of cash and treasure;
We all keep watch upon thy treasury,
And full of anguish weep at thy distress.”
He made reply: “I need my paladins

Although my heart hath no anxieties
Respecting mastery and men and treasure.
No foeman hath appeared within the realm
To cause me any care on his account;
But yet mine ardent heart hath one desire
That I will not uproot therefrom, and now
Throughout the dark night till the dawn of day
I wait the consummation of my hopes,
And when that cometh I will tell you all,
And utter what as yet I leave unsaid.
Go ye your ways victorious and glad,
Dismissing such thoughts from your memories.”
Then all the paladins, those noble men,
Called blessings down on him, and grieved again.