So thou shalt not go from the pavilion till the night is dark,
and thou mayst feign thyself sick meantime."
"Sick enough shall I be if I may not go forth to see how my love
is faring in his peril: this at least is hard to me; but so be it!
At least thou wilt come and tell me how he speedeth."
"Oh yes," said Agatha, "if thou must have it so; but fear thou not,
he shall do well enough."
Said the Lady: "Ah, but thou wottest how oft it goes with a chance stroke,
that the point pierceth where it should not; nay, where by likelihood
it could not."
"Nay," said Agatha, "what chance is there in this, when the youngling
knoweth the whole manner of the play, and his foemen know naught thereof?
It is as the chance betwixt Geoffrey the Minstrel and Black Anselm,
when they play at chess together, that Anselm must needs be mated ere
he hath time to think of his fourth move. I wot of these matters,
my Lady. Now, further, I would have thy leave to marshal thy maids
about the seat where thou shouldest be, and moreover there should be
someone in thy seat, even if I sat in it myself." Said the Lady:
"Yea, sit there if thou wilt."
"Woe's me!" said Agatha laughing, "why should I sit there?
I am like to thee, am I not?" "Yea," said the Lady,
"as the swan is like to the loon." "Yea, my Lady," said Agatha,
"which is the swan and which the loon? Well, well, fear not;
I shall set Joyce in thy seat by my Lord's leave;
she is tall and fair, and forsooth somewhat like to thee.
Pages:
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415