lves hard by. Had I loved thee
as thou dost deserve, I had shown more manhood. But oh, sweet love, the
drowsiness that did crawl o'er me desolate, and benumb me, was more than
nature. And so I slept; and but that God was better to us, than I to
thee or to myself, from that sleep I ne'er had waked; so all do say.
I had slept an hour or two, as I suppose, but no more, when a hand did
shake me rudely. I awoke to my troubles. And there stood a servant girl
in her holiday suit. 'Are ye mad,' quoth she, in seeming choler, 'to
sleep in snow, and under wolves' nosen? Art weary o' life, and not long
weaned? Come, now, said she, more kindly, 'get up like a good lad;' so
I did rise up. 'Are ye rich, or are ye poor?' But I stared at her as one
amazed. 'Why, 'tis easy of reply,' quoth she. 'Are ye rich, or are ye
poor?' Then I gave a great, loud cry; that she did start back. 'Am I
rich, or am I poor? Had ye asked me an hour agone, I had said I am rich.
But now I am so poor as sure earth beareth on her bosom none poorer.
An hour agone I was rich in a friend, rich in money, rich in hope and
spirits of youth; but now the Bastard of Burgundy hath taken my friend,
and another gentleman my purse; and I can neither go forward to Rome nor
back to her I left in Holland. I am poorest of the poor.' 'Alack!' said
the wench. 'Natheless, an ye had been rich ye might ha' lain down again
in the snow for any use I had for ye; and then I trow ye had soon fared
out o' this world as bare as ye came into it. But, being poor, you are
our man: so come wi' me.' Then I went because she bade me, and because I
recked not now whither I went. And she took me to a fine house hard by,
and into a noble dining-hall hung with black; and there was set a table
with many dishes, and but one plate and one chair. 'Fall to!' said she,
in a whisper. 'What, alone?' said I. 'Alone? And which of us, think ye,
would eat out of the same dish with ye? Are we robbers o' the dead?'
Then she speered where I was born. 'At Tergou,' said I. Says she, 'And
when a gentleman dies in that country, serve they not the dead man's
dinner up as usual, till he be in the ground, and set some poor man to
it?' I told her, 'nay.' She blushed for us then. Here they were better
Christians.' So I behoved to sit down. But small was my heart for meat.
Then this kind lass sat by me and poured me out wine; and tasting it,
it cut me to the heart Denys was not there to drink with me. He doth so
love good wine