ly from this very instance,
it afterwards became, and in itself at once "setting," so to speak,
the frame of gracious decorative imagery in which the poet works. He
"threaded a silver needle" (an odd but not unusual mediaeval pastime
was sewing stitches in the sleeve) and strolled, _cousant ses
manches_, towards a river-bank. Then, after bathing his face and
seeing the bright gravel flashing through the water, he continued his
stroll down-stream, till he saw in front of him a great park (for this
translates the mediaeval _verger_ much better than "orchard"), on the
wall of which were portrayed certain images[144]--Hatred, Felony,
Villainy, Covetousness, Avarice, Envy, Sadness, Old Age, Hypocrisy,
and Poverty. These personages, who strike the allegoric and
personifying note of the poem, are described at varying length, the
last three being perhaps the best. Despite these uninviting figures,
the Lover (as he is soon called) desires violently to enter the park;
but for a long time he can find no way in, till at length Dame Oyseuse
(Idleness) admits him at a postern. She is a very attractive damsel
herself; and she tells the Lover that Delight and all his Court haunt
the park, and that he has had the ugly images made, apparently as
skeletons at the feast, to heighten, not to dash, enjoyment. Entering,
the Lover thinks he is in the Earthly Paradise, and after a time he
finds the fair company listening to the singing of Dame Lyesse
(Pleasure), with much dancing, music, and entertainment of _jongleurs_
and _jongleresses_ to help pass the time.

[Footnote 144: "Seven" says the verse chapter-heading, which is a
feature of the poem; but the actual text does not mention the number,
and it will be seen that there were in fact _ten_. The author of the
headings was no doubt thinking of the Seven Deadly Sins.]

Courtesy asks him to join in the _karole_ (dance), and he does so,
giving full description of her, of Lyesse, of Delight, and of the God
of Love himself, with his bow-bearer Sweet-Glances, who carries in
each hand five arrows--in the right Beauty, Simpleness, Frankness,
Companionship, Fair-Seeming; in the left Pride, Villainy,[145] Shame,
Despair, and "New-Thought"--_i.e._, Fickleness. Other personages--sometimes
with the same names, sometimes with different--follow in the train;
Cupid watches the Lover that he may take shot at him, and the tale is
interrupted by an episode giving the story of Narcissus. Meanwhile the
Lover h