), without
speaking or being spoken to, he several times carnally knew the queen;
after which, grievous as it seemed to him to depart, yet, fearing lest
his too long stay should be the occasion of turning the gotten delight
into dolour, he arose and taking up the mantle and the light,
withdrew, without word said, and returned, as quickliest he might, to
his own bed. He could scarce yet have been therein when the king arose
and repaired to the queen's chamber, whereat she marvelled
exceedingly; and as he entered the bed and greeted her blithely, she
took courage by his cheerfulness and said, 'O my lord, what new
fashion is this of to-night? You left me but now, after having taken
pleasure of me beyond your wont, and do you return so soon? Have a
care what you do.' The king, hearing these words, at once concluded
that the queen had been deceived by likeness of manners and person,
but, like a wise man, bethought himself forthright, seeing that
neither she nor any else had perceived the cheat, not to make her
aware thereof; which many simpletons would not have done, but would
have said, 'I have not been here, I. Who is it hath been here? How did
it happen? Who came hither?' Whence many things might have arisen,
whereby he would needlessly have afflicted the lady and given her
ground for desiring another time that which she had already tasted;
more by token that, an he kept silence of the matter, no shame might
revert to him, whereas, by speaking, he would have brought dishonour
upon himself. The king, then, more troubled at heart than in looks or
speech, answered, saying, 'Wife, seem I not to you man enough to have
been here a first time and to come yet again after that?' 'Ay, my
lord,' answered she. 'Nevertheless, I beseech you have regard to your
health.' Quoth Agilulf, 'And it pleaseth me to follow your counsel,
wherefore for the nonce I will get me gone again, without giving you
more annoy.' This said, taking up his mantle, he departed the chamber,
with a heart full of wrath and despite for the affront that he saw had
been done him, and bethought himself quietly to seek to discover the
culprit, concluding that he must be of the household and could not,
whoever he might be, have issued forth of the palace. Accordingly,
taking a very small light in a little lantern, he betook himself to a
very long gallery that was over the stables of his palace and where
all his household slept in different beds, and judging that, whoever