Who would deny his mistress aught? There is no lover
but would surely do all his sweet-heart's pleasure without
default or guile, whenever he can in any way. I agreed to her
desire; but when I had agreed, she would have it, too, that I
should swear. I would have done more than that for her, but she
took me at my word. I made her a promise, without knowing what.
Time passed until I was made a knight. King Evrain, whose nephew
I am, dubbed me a knight in the presence of many honourable men
in this very garden where we are. My lady, who is sitting there,
at once recalled to me my word, and said that I had promised her
that I would never go forth from here until there should come
some knight who should conquer me by trial of arms. It was right
that I should remain, for rather than break my word, I should
never have pledged it. Since I knew the good there was in her, I
could nor reveal or show to the one whom I hold most dear that in
all this I was displeased; for if she had noticed it, she would
have withdrawn her heart, and I would not have had it so for
anything that might happen. Thus my lady thought to detain me
here for a long stay; she did not think that there would ever
enter this garden any vassal who could conquer me. In this way
she intended to keep me absolutely shut up with her all the days
of my life.
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