go quickly to thy bed and thou shalt prove if by this woman
the Lord will send an heir unto thy house."

(ll. 2234-2246) And the blessed man gave ear unto the woman's
counsels, and bade his handmaid go unto his bed, according as his
wife had counselled him. And the maiden conceived by Abraham,
and her heart grew arrogant. She stubbornly began to vex her
mistress, was insolent, insulting, evil-hearted, and would not
willingly be subject to her, but straightway entered into strife
with Sarah. Then, as I have heard, the woman told her sorrow to
her lord, speaking with bitter grief:

(ll. 2247-2255) "Thou hast not done me right or justice! Since
first my handmaid, Hagar, knew thy bed, according as I counselled
thee, thou sufferest her to vex me day by day in word and deed.
But her atonement shall be bitter if I may still rule over my own
maid, dear Abraham. And may Almighty God, the Lord of lords, be
judge between us."

(ll. 2256-2260) And straightway Abraham, wise of heart, made
answer: "Never will I let thee be dishonoured while we two live.
But thou shalt deal with thine handmaid even according as it
pleaseth thee."

XXXII

(ll. 2261-2270) Then was the wife of Abraham hard of heart and
hostile-minded, ruthless, and merciless against her handmaid, and
bitterly declared her hate. And the maiden fled from thraldom
and oppression, and would not brook punishment or retribution for
what she wrought against Sarah. But she fled into the wilderness.
And there a thane of glory, an angel of the Lord, found her sad of
heart and questioned her:

(ll. 2271-2272) "Whither art thou hastening, unhappy girl,
handmaid of Sarah?"

(ll. 2273-2279) And straightway she answered him: "Devoid of all
good things, in misery, I fled away out of my dwelling, from the
hate of my lady, from injury and wrong. Here in the wilderness
with tear-stained face I shall abide my doom, when from my heart
grim hunger or the wolf shall tear my soul and sorrow."

(ll. 2280-2295) And the angel answered her: "Seek not to flee
away and leave thy lord, but return again, deserve honour, be of
humble heart, constant in virtue, and faithful to thy lord.
Thou, Hagar, shalt bring forth a son to Abraham. And I say unto
thee that men shall call him Ishmael. He shall be terrible, and
swift to war; his hand shall be against the tribes of men, his
kinsmen. Many shall war upon him bitterly. And from that prince
shall spring a race and an unnumbered tri