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And strewn the channels with torn boughs; so huge The club which Rustum lifted now, and struck One stroke; but again Sohrab sprang aside Lithe as the glancing snake, and the club came 415 Thundering to earth and leapt from Rustum's hand. And Rustum follow'd his own blow and fell To his knees, and with his fingers clutch'd the sand: And now might Sohrab have unsheath'd his sword, And pierc'd the mighty Rustum while he lay 420 Dizzy, and on his knees, and chok'd with sand: But he look'd on, and smil'd, nor bar'd his sword, But courteously drew back, and spoke, and said:-- "Thou strik'st too hard: that club of thine will float Upon the summer floods, and not my bones, 425 But rise, and be not wroth: not wroth am I: No, when I see thee, wrath forsakes my soul. Thou say'st thou art not Rustum: be it so. Who art thou then, that canst so touch my soul? Boy as I am, I have seen battles too; 430 Have waded foremost in their bloody waves, And heard their hollow roar of dying men; But never was my heart thus touch'd before. Are they from Heaven, these softenings of the heart? O thou old warrior, let us yield to Heaven! 435 Come, plant we here in earth our angry spears, And make a truce, and sit upon this sand, And pledge each other in red wine, like friends, And thou shalt talk to me of Rustum's deeds. There are enough foes in the Persian host 440 Whom I may meet, and strike, and feel no pang, Champions enough Afrasiab has, whom thou Mayst fight, fight them, when they confront thy spear. But oh, let there be peace 'twixt thee and me!" He ceas'd: but while he spake, Rustum had risen, 445 And stood erect, trembling with rage: his club He left to lie, but had regain'd his spear, Whose fiery point now in his mail'd right hand Blaz'd bright and baleful, like that autumn star,[37] The baleful sign of fevers: dust had soil'd 450 His stately crest, and dimm'd his glittering arms. His breast heav'd; his lips foam'd; and twice his voice Was chok'd with rage: at last these words broke away:-- [_Rustum in wounded pride returns furiously to the combat. He shouts his cry of "Rustum!" Sohrab incautiously at the sound exposes his side to a wound and falls_.] "Girl! nimble with thy feet, not with thy han
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