  Against each prince now she had held her own, An easy victor for the seven years O'er kings and sons of kings—Eddetma, she, Who, when much sought in marriage, hating men, Espoused their ways to win beyond their strength Through martial exercise and hero deeds: She, who, accomplished in all warlike arts, Had heralds cry through every kingdom known— "Eddetma weds with none but him who proves Himself her master in the test of arms; Her suitors' foeman she. And he who fails, So overcome of woman, woman-scorned, Disarmed, dishonored, yet shall he depart, Brow-bearing, forehead-stigmatized with fire, The branded words, 'Eddetma's freedman this!'" And many princes came to woo with arms, Whom her high maiden prowess put to shame; Pretentious courtiers small in thew and thigh, Proud-palanquined from principalities Of Irak and of Hind and farther Sind. Though she was womanly as that Empress of The proud Amalekites, Tedmureh, and More beautiful, yet she had held her own. To Behram of the Territories, one Son of a Persian monarch swaying kings, Came bruit of her and her great victories, Her maiden beauty and her warrior strength. Eastward he journeyed from his father's Court, With men and steeds and store of wealth and arms, To the rich city where her father reigned, Its seven citadels set above the sea, Like seven Afrits, threatening all the world; And messengered the monarch with a gift Of savage vessels wroughten out of gold, Of foreign fabrics stiff with gems and gold. Vizier-ambassadored the old king gave His answer to the suitor:— "I, my son,— What grace have I beyond the grace of God? What power is mine but a material? What rule have I but a mere temporal? Me, than the shadow of the Prophet's shade Less, God invests with power but of man; Yea! and man's right is but the right of God; His the dominion of the secret soul— And His her soul! Now hath my daughter sworn, By all her vestal soul, that none shall know Her but her better in the listed field, Determining spear and sword. Grant Fate thy trust. She hangs her hand upon to-morrow's joust.— Allah is great!—My greeting and farewell." And so the lists of war and love arose, Wherein Eddetma with her suitor strove. Mailed in Chorasmian armor, helm and spur, On a great steed she came; Davidean crest And hauberk one fierce blaze of gems. The prince, Harnessed in scaly gold Arabian, rode To meet her; on his arm a mighty shield Of Syrian silver high embossed with gold. So clanged the prologue of the battle. As Closer it waxed, Prince Behram, who a while Withheld his valor,—in that she he loved Opposed him and beset him, woman whom He had not scathed for the ChosroËs' wealth,— Beheld his folly: how he were undone With shining shame unless he strove withal, Whirled fiery sword and smote the bassinet That helmed the haughty face that long had scorned The wide world's vanquished royalty, and so Rushed on his own defeat. For, like unto A cloud, that caverned the bright moon all eve, That thunder splits and, virgin triumph, there She sails a silver aspect, so the helm, Hurled from her head, unhusked her golden hair, And glorious, glowing face. By his own blow Was Behram vanquished. All his wavering strength Swerved from its purpose. With no final stroke Stunned stood he and surrendered: stared and stared, All his strong life absorbed into her face, All the wild warrior arrowed by her eyes, Tamed and obedient to her word and look. Then she on him, as eagle on a kite, Plunged pitiless and beautiful and fierce, One trophy more to added victories: Haled off his mail, amazement dazing him; Seized steed and arms, confusion filling him; And scoffed him forth brow-branded with his shame. Dazzled, six days he sat, a staring trance; But on the seventh, casting stupor off, Rose, and the straitness of the case, that held Him as with manacles of knitted fire, Considered—and decided on a way.... Once when Eddetma with an houri band Of high-born damsels, under eunuch guard, In the walled palace pleasaunce took her ease, Under a myrrh-bush by a fountain side,— Where marble Peris poured a diamond rain In scooped cornelian,—one, a dim, hoar head,— A patriarch 'mid gardener underlings,— Bent spreading gems and priceless ornaments Of jewelled amulets of hollow gold Sweet with imprisoned ambergris and musk; Symbolic stones in sorcerous carcanets; Gem talismans in cabalistic gold. Whereon the princess marvelled and bade ask— What did the ancient with his riches there? Who, questioned, mumbled in his bushy beard, "To buy a wife withal;" whereat they laughed As oafs when wisdom stumbles. Quoth a maid, With orient midnight in her starry eyes, And tropic music on her languid tongue, "And what if I should wed with thee, O beard Grayer than my great-grandfather, what then?"— "One kiss, no more; and, child, thou were divorced," He; and the humor took them till, like birds That sing among the spice-trees and the palms, The garden pealed with maiden merriment. Then quoth the princess, "Thou wilt wed with him, Ansada?" mirth in her gazelle-like eyes, And gravity sage-solemn in her speech; And took Ansada's hand and laid it in The old man's staggering hand, and he unbent His crookÉd back and on his staff arose Wrinkled and weighed with many heavy years, And kissed her, leaning on his shaking staff, And heaped her bosom with an Amir's wealth, And left them laughing at his foolish beard. |
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