"I die, pursued by unrelenting fate,
The hapless victim of a father's hate."
Life having departed, his body was placed upon a bier, and conveyed to
Irán, amidst the tears and lamentations of the people.
Rustem now took charge of Bahman, according to the dying request of
Isfendiyár, and brought him to Sístán. This was, however, repugnant to
the wishes of Zúára, who observed to his brother: "Thou hast slain the
father of this youth; do not therefore nurture and instruct the son of
thy enemy, for, mark me, in the end he will be avenged."--"But did not
Isfendiyár, with his last breath, consign him to my guardianship? how
can I refuse it now? It must be so written and determined in the
dispensations of Heaven."
The arrival of the bier in Persia, at the palace of Gushtásp, produced a
melancholy scene of public and domestic affliction. The king took off
the covering and wept bitterly, and the mother and sisters exclaimed,
"Alas! thy death is not the work of human hands; it is not the work of
Rustem, nor of Zál, but of the Símúrgh. Thou hast not lived long enough
to be ashamed of a gray beard, nor to witness the maturity and
attainments of thy children. Alas! thou art snatched away at a moment of
the highest promise, even at the commencement of thy glory." In the
meanwhile the curses and imprecations of the people were poured upon the
devoted head of Gushtásp on account of his cruel and unnatural conduct,
so that he was obliged to confine himself to his palace till after the
interment of Isfendiyár.
Rustem scrupulously fulfilled his engagement, and instructed Bahman in
all manly exercises; in the use of bow and javelin, in the management of
sword and buckler, and in all the arts and accomplishments of the
warrior. He then wrote to Gushtásp, repeating that he was unblamable in
the conflict which terminated in the death of his son Isfendiyár, that
he had offered him presents and wealth to a vast extent, and moreover
was ready to return with him to Irán, to his father; but every overture
was rejected. Relentless fate must have hurried him on to a premature
death. "I have now," continued Rustem, "completed the education of
Bahman, according to the directions of his father, and await thy further
commands." Gushtásp, after reading this letter, referred to Bashútan,
who confirmed the declarations of Rustem, and the treacherous king,
willing to ascribe the event to an overruling destiny, readily acquitted
Rustem of all guilt in killing Isfendiyár. At the same time he sent for
Bahman, and on his arrival from Sístán, was so pleased with him that he
without hesitation appointed him to succeed to the throne.
"Methinks I see Isfendiyár again,
Thou hast the form, the very look he bore,
And since thy glorious father is no more,
Long as I live thou must with me remain."