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?©tien, de Troyes, 12th cent.

"Four Arthurian Romances"

This morning
I went to see her in her bed, and I remarked that Kay lies with
her every night. Sire, for God's sake, be not angry, if I am
disgruntled and if I complain. For it is very humiliating for me
to be hated and despised by one with whom Kay is allowed to lie."
"Silence!" says the king; "I don't believe it." "Then come, my
lord, and see the sheets and the state in which Kay has left
them. Since you will not believe my words, and since you think I
am lying, I will show you the sheets and the quilt covered with
blood from Kay's wounds." "Come now," says the king, "I wish to
see for myself, and my eyes will judge of the truth." Then the
king goes directly to the room, where the Queen got up at his
approach. He sees that the sheets are blood-stained on her bed
and on Kay's alike and he says: "Lady, it is going badly now, if
what my son has said is true." Then she replies: "So help me
God, never even in a dream was uttered such a monstrous lie. I
think Kay the seneschal is courteous and loyal enough not to
commit such a deed, and besides, I do not expose my body in the
market-place, nor offer it of my own free will. Surely, Kay is
not the man to make an insulting proposal to me, and I have never
desired and shall never desire to do such a thing myself.


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