Chapter XI

1 _The young men go out for to fight_. 2 _Many take unto themselves wives_. 11 _Some think it not wise_. 19 _Some transgress the law_. 22 _The matrons are rejoiced_. 23 _All the maidens would wed amongst the officers_. 27 _Concerning the damsels that were left over_.

Now in the land of En the young men did hurry them away unto the war, and amongst the maidens _there were_ many sad at heart.

2 ¶ And when the time drew nigh unto a young man that he must gird up his loins and go, then _would_ he speak unto the damsel of his choice.

3 And he would say unto her, Thou knowest that there yet remaineth unto me only _so many_ days; let us therefore arrange matters quickly that we _be_ married.

4 And because the time was short and _it was_ her chance, she would answer and would say unto him, Thou art my lord, and whatsoever thou commandest, it shall be done. Let us therefore hasten _about it_ lest, peradventure, we meet with an hindrance upon the way.

5 For the women of that time _were_ a crafty lot and they did beguile their men with soft words; and the wiles of Bathsheba, that _did_ wash herself, were as nothing _in comparison_ to these, for they were full of artfulness.

6 And when she had told her mother and them _that were_ about the place, she would take the young man unto the priest for to make _them_ a day; and _after_ it was in order, then would they go unto the ringmaker and she would try on whatsoever came unto her hand. Yea, _many_ rings would she place upon her finger; but _the ring_ that she did choose, that did she not try on, fearing lest it prove unlucky _in the_ afterwards.

7 Now it happened in certain cases that the damsel needed not to furnish her with garments for the wedding, inasmuch as she was prepared, being ready _against the occasion_.

8 But when it was not so, then would the damsel set _about_ it, and she would make _things_ hum. And she and those that were related unto her and her handmaidens also, they would haste them unto the bazaars. And whatsoever was necessary unto the marriage, that thing would they buy; and _of the things_ that were not necessary unto the marriage, they would also buy them some of these.

9 And when the last minute was come, then would they send the _old_ man for to buy that _which_ was forgotten, saying unto him, Get thee quickly, _thou_ fool. And he _would_ get him quickly.

10 And when the hour was come for the young man to take the damsel unto him, behold, she _was_ there. And throughout all the land of En there was no case known of a damsel that _did come_ too late.

11 ¶ And because there _was_ a great number of them that did wed in this wise, therefore was there much talk _concerning_ it, both in the public places and in the habitations of the people.

12 And some _did_ say it was a foolish thing to do. And they did speak darkly concerning the future, what it did hide, for it went _for a saying_ amongst them that a marriage _that_ is hasty bringeth early regret.

13 And others said, Let the young men wed. Verily, many go forth unto the wars but the number _of them_ that return, it is not so great. Therefore is it necessary for them that are _of an age_ to make _them_ families, else in what manner shall the nation endure.

14 And the young things heeded not these arguments, for they _were_ young and did love. And whosoever loveth _enough_, he hath his justification.

15 But woe unto that man who taketh unto himself a wife for the sake _of it_; a million tears will not suffice for to drown _her_ in.

16 But he that marrieth his beloved in haste, seeking happiness, that man assuredly _hath_ a dog's chance; and he that taketh time _about_ the business, is not his risk also great?

17 And there _were_ some that did marry for love and there _were_ some that did marry for a pension; but there _were_ some that did marry because it was a discreet thing to do.

18 And the number of them that did marry was _beyond_ anything that men could remember, so that the priests did gather them an harvest of _exceeding_ richness and they did bless the unions with many pious _words_.

19 ¶ Now certain men did take unto themselves more wives than one, which _was_ a wicked thing to do, for in the land of En it was not lawful _for a man_ to marry two wives.

20 And this was passing strange, for the seduction of a maiden was a thing that was _winked at_. Yea, the father of a child begotten guiltily, he was absolved by the payment of five pieces of silver every week. But the man whose wife did bear him a son, his _punishment_ was greater than this.

21 And in those days was man judged _according to_ a rule, and an hurt transgressing not the rule, that was forgiven unto him. And to marry two wives, _that was_ against the rule; but to keep two score of concubines, _that was_ a lawful thing to do.

22 ¶ And because there was war, therefore did many mothers _pull off_ forlorn hopes at the last minute, which rejoiced them greatly. For there _was_ much competition amongst the daughters of En, and _the number_ of young men did not suffice for all.

23 ¶ And every maiden did seek for _to get_ her an officer, for _these were_ great men whom the common soldiers did salute in the public places, so that to walk with such an one _was_ indeed pleasurable.

24 And there was much cackling in all the hen-roosts of the land of En, and _amongst those_ families that did get them an officer there were loud manifestations of joy.

25 And the pride of these was _beyond_ all telling, and they _would_ hold up their heads on high and they _would_ say unto them that did live next door, Bow ye down before us and make obeisance. Know ye not that Miriam, our first-born, _hath_ taken a captain to husband?

26 And because they _did_ know _it_ and because _their_ daughter had succeeded only as high as a corporal of the lance, they would bow themselves down and would speak words of flattery, for she that was _wife_ unto a captain was a power in the confines of _the_ cities.

27 But there _were_ many maidens that no man took unto him for wife, and the days of these were bitter living; neither did their sisters that had _clicked_ refrain from telling them _about it_.

28 Wherefore some of the damsels _that were left over_ did journey into the wilderness for to meditate concerning the matter, for the airs of a woman that is married are _as_ a goad unto her that languisheth alone.

29 And so it came to pass that certain _of them_ did get them war work from the makers of munitions, and certain _of them_ did get them war babies from no man knew whither. Yea, every one did act according to her lights and _did_ do all those things that the occasion did demand.