himself to the lady's chamber and
telling her how easily he might acquire the palfrey, bade her come
hearken to Il Zima, but charged her take good care to answer neither
little or much to aught that he should say. To this the lady much
demurred, but, it behoving her ensue her husband's pleasure, she
promised to do his bidding and followed him to the saloon, to hear
what Il Zima should say. The latter, having renewed his covenant with
the gentleman, seated himself with the lady in a part of the saloon at
a great distance from every one and began to say thus, 'Noble lady,
meseemeth certain that you have too much wit not to have long since
perceived how great a love I have been brought to bear you by your
beauty, which far transcendeth that of any woman whom methinketh I
ever beheld, to say nothing of the engaging manners and the peerless
virtues which be in you and which might well avail to take the
loftiest spirits of mankind; wherefore it were needless to declare to
you in words that this [my love] is the greatest and most fervent that
ever man bore woman; and thus, without fail, will I do[170] so long as
my wretched life shall sustain these limbs, nay, longer; for that, if
in the other world folk love as they do here below, I shall love you
to all eternity. Wherefore you may rest assured that you have nothing,
be it much or little worth, that you may hold so wholly yours and
whereon you may in every wise so surely reckon as myself, such as I
am, and that likewise which is mine. And that of this you may take
assurance by very certain argument, I tell you that I should count
myself more graced, did you command me somewhat that I might do and
that would pleasure you, than if, I commanding, all the world should
promptliest obey me. Since, then, I am yours, even as you have heard,
it is not without reason that I dare to offer up my prayers to your
nobility, wherefrom alone can all peace, all health and all well-being
derive for me, and no otherwhence; yea, as the humblest of your
servants, I beseech you, dear my good and only hope of my soul, which,
midmost the fire of love, feedeth upon its hope in you,--that your
benignity may be so great and your past rigour shown unto me, who am
yours, on such wise be mollified that I, recomforted by your kindness,
may say that, like as by your beauty I was stricken with love, even so
by your pity have I life, which latter, an your haughty soul incline
not to my prayers, will without fa