of the
neighbourhood awaiting Gualtieri's new bride. The latter, being
received by the ladies and come into the saloon where the tables were
laid, Griselda came to meet her, clad as she was, and accosted her
blithely, saying, 'Welcome and fair welcome to my lady.' Thereupon the
ladies (who had urgently, but in vain, besought Gualtieri to suffer
Griselda to abide in a chamber or lend her one of the gowns that had
been hers, so that she might not go thus before his guests) were
seated at table and it was proceeded to serve them. The girl was eyed
by every one and all declared that Gualtieri had made a good exchange;
and among the rest Griselda commended her amain, both her and her
young brother.

[Footnote 482: _i.e._ the husband of his kinswoman aforesaid.]

Gualtieri perceiving that the strangeness of the case in no wise
changed her and being assured that this proceeded not from lack of
understanding, for that he knew her to be very quick of wit, himseemed
he had now seen fully as much as he desired of his lady's patience and
he judged it time to deliver her from the bitterness which he doubted
not she kept hidden under her constant countenance; wherefore, calling
her to himself, he said to her, smiling, in the presence of every one,
'How deemest thou of our bride?' 'My lord,' answered she, 'I deem
exceeding well of her, and if, as I believe, she is as discreet as she
is fair, I doubt not a whit but you will live the happiest gentleman
in the world with her; but I beseech you, as most I may, that you
inflict not on her those pangs which you inflicted whilere on her who
was sometime yours; for methinketh she might scarce avail to endure
them, both because she is younger and because she hath been delicately
reared, whereas the other had been in continual fatigues from a little
child.' Thereupon, Gualtieri, seeing she firmly believed that the
young lady was to be his wife nor therefore spoke anywise less than
well, seated her by his side and said to her, 'Griselda, it is now
time that thou reap the fruits of thy long patience and that those who
have reputed me cruel and unjust and brutish should know that this
which I have done I wrought to an end aforeseen, willing to teach thee
to be a wife and to show them how to take and use one and at the same
time to beget myself perpetual quiet, what while I had to live with
thee; the which, whenas I came to take a wife, I was sore afraid might
not betide me, and therefore, to ma