Then the holy man yielded to the advice of his wife,
and bade the handmaiden go to his couch as a bride.[29]2235
Her spirit exalted itself, when she had become pregnant
with a man-child by Abraham; stiff-necked in scorn she
began to despise her mistress, showed insolence, was
overweening, and was unwilling to endure servitude but2240
boldly began to resist Sarra strongly.
Then I heard how the wife spoke to her husband in the
sorrow of her heart, with these words; sad in mind she
spoke, and said bitterly:
"Thou dost not deal properly and rightfully with me.2245
Thou hast hitherto allowed it to happen that my hand-
maiden afflict me every day by deed and word, ever
since Agar entered thy bed in place of thy wife, as was
my entreaty: she shall pay for this mercilessly, if I2250
may still control mine own before thee, dear Abraham;
of this may the Almighty Lord of Lords be judge
between us two!"
The wise-minded man then answered her at once in2255
these words:
"Never shall I leave thee without honor, while we
both live; but thou must manage thine own maid as
pleases thy heart!"
XXVII.
Then Abraham's queen became unkind, wrathful in2260
heart towards her serving-maid, hard and cruel, spoke
bitter insults to the woman. Thereupon the latter fled
from threat and thraldom: she would not endure evil
and retribution for what she had formerly done to Sarra,2265
but went forth on a journey to go into the wilderness.
There a servant of glory, an angel of the Lord, found her
sorrowing; he eagerly asked her:
"Whither do you intend to push your journey, my2270
poor woman? Sarre owns thy service!"
She answered him at once: