said the good knight, ’have him fetched; and
I will send in quest of him in such sort that he shall
have no harm.’ She set herself to inquire
where he was, and found him; then were sent in quest
of him the good knight’s steward and two archers,
who brought him away in safety; and on his arrival
he had joyous cheer (reception) from his guest, the
good knight, the which did tell him not to be melancholic,
and that there was quartered upon him none but friends.
. . . For about a month or five weeks was
the good knight ill of his wound, without leaving
his couch. One day he was minded to get up, and
he walked across his chamber, not being sure whether
he could keep his legs; somewhat weak he found himself;
but the great heart he had gave him not leisure to
think long thereon. He sent to fetch the surgeon
who had the healing of him, and said to him, ’My
friend, tell me, I pray you, if there be any danger
in setting me on the march; me-seems that I am well,
or all but so; and I give you my faith that, in my
judgment, the biding will henceforth harm me more
than mend me, for I do marvellously fret.’
The good knight’s servitors had already told
the surgeon the great desire he had to be at the battle,
for every day he had news from the camp of the French,
how that they were getting nigh the Spaniards, and
there were hopes from day to day of the battle, which
would, to his great sorrow, have been delivered without
him. Having knowledge whereof, and also knowing
his complexion, the surgeon said, in his own language,
’My lord, your wound is not yet closed up; howbeit,
inside it is quite healed. Your barber shall
see to dressing you this once more; and provided that
every day, morning and evening, he put on a little
piece of lint and a plaister for which I will deliver
to him the ointment, it will not increase your hurt;
and there is no danger, for the worst of the wound
is a-top, and will not touch the saddle of your horse.’
Whoso had given him ten thousand crowns, the good
knight had not been so glad. He determined to
set out in two days, commanding his people to put in
order all his gear.
“The lady with whom he lodged, who held herself
all the while his prisoner, together with her husband
and her children, had many imaginings. Thinking
to herself that, if her guest were minded to treat
with rigor herself and her husband, he might get out
of them ten or twelve thousand crowns, for they had
two thousand a year, she made up her mind to make
him some worthy present; and she had found him so good
a man, and of so gentle a heart, that, to her thinking,
he would be graciously content. On the morning
of the day whereon the good knight was to dislodge
after dinner, his hostess, with one of her servitors
carrying a little box made of steel, entered his chamber,
where she found that he was resting in a chair, after
having walked about a great deal, so as continually,
little by little, to try his leg. She threw herself
upon both knees; but incontinently he raised her up,