Wedding of the Sisters
Shy and abashed he began, and gave her his hand, on whose fingers
Wine was glowing like blood. "But half is it proved, oh my sister.
True, by the stars was foretold a sin, but the name of the sinner
Thou did'st omit to ask. Bring thy bowl and seek in the water
Whether the stars have writ that the sinner's name is Ahanna!"
Wine was glowing like blood. "But half is it proved, oh my sister.
True, by the stars was foretold a sin, but the name of the sinner
Thou did'st omit to ask. Bring thy bowl and seek in the water
Whether the stars have writ that the sinner's name is Ahanna!"
Now had the bowl been brought and set on its copper-green tripod,
High aloft was it raised in the sheltered court of the palace.
There did the southern stars through the limpid night of the desert
Brightly gaze on the bowl. At the threshold-stone in the doorway,
Diffident, stood the high priest. His brothers, who else were accustomed
Only to revel and jest, were standing like boys newly punished
Round the bowl of the sisters; the strains of music were silent,
Sweet-breathing incense was quenched in the sandy square of the courtyard.
High aloft was it raised in the sheltered court of the palace.
There did the southern stars through the limpid night of the desert
Brightly gaze on the bowl. At the threshold-stone in the doorway,
Diffident, stood the high priest. His brothers, who else were accustomed
Only to revel and jest, were standing like boys newly punished
Round the bowl of the sisters; the strains of music were silent,
Sweet-breathing incense was quenched in the sandy square of the courtyard.
Straight'ning her crooked back, out stepped then Bent-Amenemma,
52
