"Thou dost wisely to make peace with me, for verily these walls could
not resist my might."

And he followed after her unto the heights of the castle, and he stood
with her before its gates. And Gustahem, when he saw them, opened the
portal, and Gurdafrid stepped within the threshold, but when Sohrab
would have followed after her she shut the door upon him. Then Sohrab
saw that she had befooled him, and his fury knew no bounds. But ere he
was recovered from his surprise she came out upon the battlements and
scoffed at him, and counselled him to go back whence he was come; for
surely, since he could not stand against a woman, he would fall an easy
prey before Rustem, when the Pehliva should have learned that robbers
from Turan were broken into the land. And Sohrab was made yet madder for
her words, and he departed from the walls in his wrath, and rode far in
his anger, and spread terror in his path. And he vowed that he would yet
bring the maid into subjection.

In the meantime Gustahem the aged called before him a scribe, and bade
him write unto Kai Kaous all that was come about, and how an army was
come forth from Turan, at whose head rode a chief that was a child in
years, a lion in strength and stature. And he told how Hujir had been
bound, and how the fortress was like to fall into the hands of the
enemy; for there were none to defend it save only his daughter and
himself and he craved the Shah to come to their aid.

Albeit when the day had followed yet again upon the night, Sohrab made
ready his host to fall upon the castle. But when he came near thereto he
found it was empty, and the doors thereof stood open, and no warriors
appeared upon its walls. And he was surprised, for he knew not that in
the darkness the inmates were fled by a passage that was hidden under