Pagina 859 di 1116

And as the time for parading the bride is come, I don my finest

attire and sit down on a mattress of gold brocade, propping up my

elbow with a pillow, and turning neither to the right nor to the

left; but looking only straight in front for the haughtiness of

my mind and the gravity of my understanding. And there before me

stands my wife in her raiment and ornaments, lovely as the full

moon; and I, in my loftiness and dread lordliness,[FN#664] will

not glance at her till those present say to me, 'O our lord and

our master, thy wife, thy handmaid, standeth before thee;

vouchsafe her one look, for standing wearieth her.' Then they

kiss the ground before me many times; whereupon I raise my eyes

and cast at her one single glance and turn my face earthwards

again.