lived in this company, where are so many beautiful ladies,
and yet have been lover or true knight to none." Then, looking at him as
graciously as she was able, she waited for his reply.

"Madam," he said, "if I were worthy that your Highness should stoop to
think of me, you would have still greater reason to marvel at seeing a
man so little worthy of love as I am, offer his service where it would
be rejected or scorned."

On hearing this discreet reply, the Duchess felt she loved him more
than before. She vowed to him that there was not a lady at her Court
who would not be only too happy to have such a knight, and that he might
well make an adventure of the sort, since there was no danger but he
would come out of it with honour. The gentleman kept his eyes downcast,
not daring to meet her looks, which were hot enough to melt ice; but,
just as he was trying to excuse himself, the Duke sent for the Duchess
to come to the council on some matter that concerned her, and thither
with much regret she went. The gentleman never afterwards made the
slightest sign of having understood a word of what she had said to him,
at which she was exceedingly distressed and vexed; and she knew not to
what cause to impute her failure, unless it were to the foolish fear of
which she deemed the gentleman to be possessed.

A few days afterwards, finding that he gave no sign of understanding
what she had said, she resolved on her part to set aside all fear or
shame, and to tell him of her love. She felt sure that beauty such as
hers could not be otherwise than well received, although she would fain
have had the honour of being wooed. However, she set her honour on one
side for her pleasure's sake, and after she had several times attempted
the same fashion of discourse as at first, but without receiving any
reply to her liking, she one day plucked the gentleman by the sleeve,
and told him that she must speak to him on certain matters of weight.
The gentleman went with the humility and reverence that were her due to
a deep window into which she had withdrawn; and, on perceiving that
no one in the room could see her, she began in a trembling voice,
that halted between desire and fear, to continue her former discourse,
rebuking him for not yet having chosen some lady in the company, and
promising him that, no matter who it might be, she would help him to win
kindly treatment.

The gentleman, who was no less vexed than astonished by her words,
rep