n the presence of all.
Then, mounting her on a palfrey, he carried her, honourably
accompanied, to his mansion, where the nuptials were celebrated with
the utmost splendour and rejoicing, no otherwise than as he had taken
to wife the king's daughter of France.

The young wife seemed to have, together with her clothes, changed her
mind and her manners. She was, as we have already said, goodly of
person and countenance, and even as she was fair, on like wise she
became so engaging, so pleasant and so well-mannered that she seemed
rather to have been the child of some noble gentleman than the
daughter of Giannucolo and a tender of sheep; whereof she made every
one marvel who had known her aforetime. Moreover, she was so obedient
to her husband and so diligent in his service that he accounted
himself the happiest and best contented man in the world; and on like
wise she bore herself with such graciousness and such loving kindness
towards her husband's subjects that there was none of them but loved
and honoured her with his whole heart, praying all for her welfare and
prosperity and advancement; and whereas they were used to say that
Gualtieri had done as one of little wit to take her to wife, they now
with one accord declared that he was the sagest and best-advised man
alive, for that none other than he might ever have availed to know her
high worth, hidden as it was under poor clothes and a rustic habit.
Brief, it was no great while ere she knew so to do that, not only in
her husband's marquisate, but everywhere else, she made folk talk of
her virtues and her well-doing and turned to the contrary whatsoever
had been said against her husband on her account, whenas he married
her.

She had not long abidden with Gualtieri ere she conceived with child
and in due time bore a daughter, whereat he rejoiced greatly. But, a
little after, a new[480] thought having entered his mind, to wit, to
seek, by dint of long tribulation and things unendurable, to make
trial of her patience, he first goaded her with words, feigning
himself troubled and saying that his vassals were exceeding ill
content with her, by reason of her mean extraction, especially since
they saw that she bore children, and that they did nothing but
murmur, being sore chagrined for the birth of her daughter. The lady,
hearing this, replied, without anywise changing countenance or showing
the least distemperature, 'My lord, do with me that which thou deemest
will be m