But if I lie the fault is his. But why does his name
seem so hard to me that I should wish to replace it by a surname?
I think it is because it is so long that I should stop in the
middle. But if I simply called him `friend', I could soon utter
so short a name. Fearing lest I should break down in uttering
his proper name, I would fain shed my blood if his name were
simply `my sweet friend.'"
(Vv. 1419-1448.) She turns this thought over in her mind until
the Queen returns from the King who had summoned her. Alexander,
seeing her come, goes to meet her, and inquires what is the
King's command concerning the prisoners, and what is to be their
fate. "Friend," says she, "he requires of me to surrender them
at his discretion, and to let his justice be carried out.
Indeed, he is much incensed that I have not already handed them
over. So I must needs send them to him, since I see no help for
it." Thus they passed that day; and the next day there was a
great assembly of all the good and loyal knights before the royal
tent to sit in judgment and decide by what punishment and torture
the four traitors should die. Some hold that they should be
flayed alive, and others that they should be hanged or burned.
And the King, for his part, maintains that traitors ought to be
torn asunder.
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