But, instead of discussing poor me,
I think you would much nicer be
To get on with our Geste.
MYSELF: I obey your behest!
Said Yolande to the duchess, said she:
"Nay, my Benedicta, these be only dreams, but life is real and dreams a
very emptiness!"
"And is 't so, forsooth?" exclaimed the Duchess. "Then am I nought but a
duchess and lonely, thou a maid fearful of her own heart, and yon singer of
love only a very futile knight, Sir Palamon of Tong, nothing esteemed by
thee for wit or valour and little by his peers--see how his challengers do
throng. How think you?" But the lady Yolande sat very still and silent,
only she stared, great-eyed, where danced the scarlet plume.
And indeed many and divers were the knights who, beholding the blazon of
Tong, sent the bearer their defiance, eager to cope with him; and each
and every challenge Sir Palamon accepted by mouth of his tall esquire who
(vizor closed, even as his lord's) spake the Chief Herald in loud, merry
voice, thus:
"Sir Herald, whereas and forinasmuch as this, my Lord of Tong himself,
himself declaring fool, is so himself-like as to meet in combat each and
every of his challengers--themselves ten, my lord that is fool, himself
himself so declaring, now declareth by me that am no fool but only humble
esquire--messire, I say, doth his esquire require that I, the said
esquire, should on his part impart as followeth, namely and to wit: That
these ten gentle knights, the said challengers, shall forthwith of
themselves choose of themselves, themselves among themselves thereto
agreeing, which of themselves, among themselves of themselves so chosen,
shall first in combat adventure himself against my Lord of Tong himself.
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