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within the castle; and they did so. But she sat at a window of the castle and bethought her of what had passed, and passion and transport and love-longing redoubled upon her, till she burst into tears and repeated the following verses:
To whom, of my desire complaining, shall I cry, To whom, for loss of loves and parting’s sorrow, sigh?
Flames rage within my breast, but I reveal them not, For fear lest they my case discover to the spy.
I’m grown as thin as e’er a bodkin’s wood, so worn With absence and lament and agony am I.
Where is the loved one’s eye, to see how I’m become Even as a blasted tree, stripped bare and like to die?
They wronged me, when they shut me prisoner in a place, Wherein my love, alas! may never come me nigh.
Greetings a thousandfold I beg the sun to bear, What time he riseth up and setteth from the sky,
To a belovéd one, who puts the moon to shame, For loveliness, and doth the Indian cane outvie.
If the rose ape his cheek, “Now God forfend,” I say, “That of my portion aught to pilfer thou shouldst try.”
Lo, in his mouth are springs of limpid water sweet, Refreshment that would bring to those in flames who lie.
How shall I one forget who is my heart and soul, My malady and he that healing can apply?
Then, as the shadows darkened upon her, her longing increased and she called to mind the past and recited these verses also:
The shadows darken and passion stirs up my sickness amain And longing rouses within me the old desireful pain.
The anguish of parting hath taken its sojourn in my breast And love and longing and sorrow have maddened heart and brain.
Passion hath made me restless and yearning consumes my soul And tears discover my secret, that else concealed had lain.
I know of no way to ease me of sickness and care and woe; Nor can my weak endeavour reknit Love’s severed skein.
My heart is a raging furnace, because of the heat whereof My entrails are racked with anguish, that nothing can assain.
