It is
a fact that I was not slow in honestly aiding you. Upon my
advice my lady received you, after heeding my opinion and my
counsel. And by the Holy Paternoster, more for her welfare than
for your own I thought I was doing it, and I think so still. So
much now I confess to you: it was her honour and your desire that
I sought to serve, so help me God! But when it became evident
that you had overstayed the year when you should return to my
mistress, then she became enraged at me, and thought that she had
been deceived by putting trust in my advice. And when this was
discovered by the seneschal--a rascally, underhanded, disloyal
wretch, who was jealous of me because in many matters my lady
trusted me more than she trusted him, he saw that he could now
stir up great enmity between me and her. In full court and in
the presence of all he accused me of having betrayed her in your
favour. And I had no counsel or aid except my own; but I knew
that I had never done or conceived any treacherous act toward my
lady, so I cried out, as one beside herself, and without the
advice of any one, that I would present in my own defence one
knight who should fight against three. The fellow was not
courteous enough to scorn to accept such odds, nor was I at
liberty to retreat or withdraw for anything that might happen.
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