'Tis so pronounced by her grave guardians ten,
By them made law--and they right reverend men!
And this the law--our lady, be it said,
This day shall choose the husband she must wed;
And he who wins our Duchess for his own
Crowned by her love shall mount to ducal throne,
So let each knight, by valiant prowess, prove
Himself most worthy to our lady's love.
Now make I here an end, and ending, pray
Ye quit you all like val'rous knights this day."
Thus spake the Chief Herald and so paced solemnly down the lists while the
long clarions filled the air with gallant music. But the lovely Benedicta,
throned beneath silken canopy, knit her black brows and clenched slender
hands and stamped dainty foot, yet laughed thereafter, whereupon Yolande,
leaning to kiss her flushed cheek, questioned her, wondering:
"How say'st thou to this, my loved Benedicta?"
Quoth the DUCHESS:
"I say, my sweeting, 'tis quite plain
That I must run away again!
Howbeit I care not one rush for their laws! Marry forsooth--a fig! Let them
make laws an they will, these reverend, right troublesome grey-beards of
mine, they shall never wed me but to such a man as Love shall choose me,
and loving him--him only will I wed, be he great or lowly, rich or poor,
worthy or unworthy, so I do love him, as is the sweet and wondrous way of
love.
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