lady abode somewhat troubled. Roussillon then dismounted and calling
the cook, said to him, 'Take this wild boar's heart and look thou make
a dainty dish thereof, the best and most delectable to eat that thou
knowest, and when I am at table, send it to me in a silver porringer.'
The cook accordingly took the heart and putting all his art thereto
and all his diligence, minced it and seasoning it with store of rich
spices, made of it a very dainty ragout.

When it was time, Sir Guillaume sat down to table with his wife and
the viands came; but he ate little, being hindered in thought for the
ill deed he had committed. Presently the cook sent him the ragout,
which he caused set before the lady, feigning himself disordered[255]
that evening and commending the dish to her amain. The lady, who was
nowise squeamish, tasted thereof and finding it good, ate it all;
which when the knight saw, he said to her, 'Wife, how deem you of this
dish?' 'In good sooth, my lord,' answered she, 'it liketh me
exceedingly.' Whereupon, 'So God be mine aid,' quoth Roussillon; 'I do
indeed believe it you, nor do I marvel if that please you, dead,
which, alive, pleased you more than aught else.' The lady, hearing
this, hesitated awhile, then said, 'How? What have you made me eat?'
'This that you have eaten,' answered the knight, 'was in very truth
the heart of Sir Guillaume de Guardestaing, whom you, disloyal wife as
you are, so loved; and know for certain that it is his very heart, for
that I tore it from his breast with these hands a little before my
return.'

[Footnote 255: Or surfeited (_svogliato_).]

It needeth not to ask if the lady were woebegone, hearing this of him
whom she loved more than aught else; and after awhile she said, 'You
have done the deed of a disloyal and base knight, as you are; for, if
I, unenforced of him, made him lord of my love and therein offended
against you, not he, but I should have borne the penalty thereof. But
God forfend that ever other victual should follow upon such noble meat
the heart of so valiant and so courteous a gentleman as was Sir
Guillaume de Guardestaing!' Then, rising to her feet, without any
manner of hesitation, she let herself fall backward through a window
which was behind her and which was exceeding high above the ground;
wherefore, as she fell, she was not only killed, but well nigh broken
in pieces.

Sir Guillaume, seeing this, was sore dismayed and himseemed he had
done ill; wherefo