She rent her robes and tore her cheeks. A cry
Rose from her bower, her clamour reached the street.

The palace was all hubbub; thou hadst said:—
“'Tis Resurrection-night!” News reached the Sháh,
Who hurried from the imperial golden throne
Toward the bower in his solicitude,
And when he found Súdába with rent cheeks,
And all the palace full of babblement,
He questioned every one in deep concern,
Not knowing what that Heart of stone had done.
Súdába wailed and wept before him, tore
Her hair, and told him: “Siyáwush approached
My throne. He caught me in his arms and cried:—
‘My soul and body brim with love for thee.
Oh! why art thou so cold to me, my fair!
For thou art all I long for, thou alone?’
This is the truth—I am constrained to tell thee:—
'Twas he that threw the crown from my black locks,
And rent the robe upon my bosom thus!”
The Sháh was troubled, asked her many questions,
And thought: “If she saith sooth, and if she hath
No evil end in view, I must cut off
The head of Siyáwush: that will unlock
These bonds of villainy.”

What saith the sage?

“Not lust but blood our thoughts must now engage.”
The inmates of the bower, those well advised
And noble servants faithful to their lord,
He bade withdraw and, sitting on the throne
Alone, called for Súdába and his son,
And wisely said to him: “I needs must know
This secret. 'Twas not thou but I that wrought
The ill. I suffer for my thoughtless words:
Why did I call thee to the women's house?
Now I am grieved that thou art thus involved.
Let me have all the truth, show me its face,
And say what passed.”

The prince related all,

And how he had been wrought on by Súdába.
She cried: “It is a lie. Of all the Idols
It was my person only that he sought;
I told him what the king of earth proposed
To give him publicly and privily,
Told him about my daughter and the crown,
The precious things, brocade, and treasure-hoards.
I told him: ‘I will add as much again,
And give my daughter all that I possess.’
He said to me: ‘I do not want the goods,
And do not mean to see thy child. Of all
The world,’ he said, ‘I need but thee—no more.
No wealth or personage availeth aught
Without thine own self.’ Then he tried to force me,
And handled me with hands as hard as stones.
I would not grant his wishes. All my hair
He tore and caused these scratches on my face.
I am with child, O monarch of the world!
By thee, but he was near to killing it
With all his struggles, and the world was strait
And dark before me.”

Then the great king thought:—

The testimony of them both is worthless,
And this is not a case for instancy,
Because a heart in straits perverteth wisdom.
I needs must first investigate the matter,
And when my heart is calm it will bear witness;
I shall discover which is in the wrong,
And which of them deserveth punishment.”
He sought all means of finding out the truth,
And first he smelt the hands of Siyáwush,
His breast, his arms, his head, and all his person.
A scent of wine, rose-water, and fine musk
Was on Súdába, but on Siyáwush
Was none, nor any sign that he had touched her.
The Sháh was troubled, he disgraced Súdába,

And sorely vexed said to himself: “No course
Remaineth but to put her to the sword.”
Then he bethought him of Hámávarán,
How tumult, strife, and battle would ensue;
Next, how, when he was lying there in bonds
And none of all his kin and friends was near,
Súdába was his handmaid day and night,
And faced the trouble uncomplainingly.
His next thought was: “She loved me wholly once:
I must forgive her everything,” and then
That he had children by her, and he counted
The anguish of the children no light thing.
But Siyáwush was blameless in the case,
The monarch recognised his probity,
And said to him: “Be not concerned hereat;
Be prudent and consider well thy going.
Talk not about this thing, tell it to none;
The matter must be kept from every one.”