第95部分(第6/7 頁)

man；　will　betray　and　kill　us；　or　we　shall　betray

and　kill　him。”

We　were　stricken　with　horror　because　what　I　said　rang　absolutely　true；　we

fell silent。 Still pacing； and panicked by the thought that everything would

revert to its former state； I told myself the following： “Tell the story of

Afrasiyab’s murder of Siyavush to change the subject。 But that’s a betrayal

such　as　fails　to　frighten　me。　Recount　the　death　of　Hüsrev。”　All　right　then；　but

should　it　be　the　version　told　by　Firdusi　in　the　Book　of　Kings　or　the　one　told　by

Nizami　in　Hüsrev　and　Shirin？　The　pathos　of　the　account　in　the Book　of　Kings

rests　in　Hüsrev’s　tearful　realization　of　the　identity　of　the　murderer　intruding　in

his bedroom chamber！ As a last resort； saying that he wants to perform his

prayers；　Hüsrev　sends　the　servant　boy　attending　him　to　fetch　water；　soap；　clean

clothes and his prayer rug； the naive boy； without understanding that his

master　has　sent　him　for　help；　goes　to　gather　the　requested　items。　Once　alone

with　Hüsrev；　the　murderer’s　first　task　is　to　lock　the　door　from　the　inside。　In

this scene at the end of the Book of Kings； the man whom the conspirators

found to enact the murder is described by Firdusi with disgust： He is foul

smelling；　hairy　and　pot…bellied。

I　paced　to　and　fro；　my　head　swarmed　with　words；　but　as　in　a　dream；　my

voice　would　not　take。

Just then I sensed that the others were whispering among themselves；

maligning　me。

They　y　legs　that　the　four　of　us　collapsed　to　the

floor。 There was a struggle and fight on the ground； b