When the emperor saw him, he was almost distract of his wits for anger, and thus he said, "Hast thou been with the brickmakers, and fulfilled my commandment?" "Soothly, my gracious lord, I have been there, but ere I am there, your commandment was fulfilled." "How may that be true," quoth the emperor.
"Forsooth," said Fulgentius, "the steward came to them afore me, and said that I should have said, so they took him and threw him into the furnace; and if I had come any earlier, so would they have done to me, and therefore I thank God that he hath preserved me from death."
Then said the emperor, "Tell me the truth of such questions as I shall demand of thee." Then said Fulgentius to the emperor, "You never found me in any falsehood, and therefore I greatly wonder why ye have ordained such a death for me; for well ye know that I am your own brother's son." Then said the emperor to Fulgentius: "It is no wonder, for that death I ordained for thee, through counsel of the steward, because thou didst defame me throughout all my empire, saying, that my breath did stink so grievously, that it was death to thee, and in token thereof thou turnedst away thy face when thou servedst me of my cup, and that I saw with mine eyes; and for this cause I ordained for thee such a death; and yet thou shalt die, except I hear a better excuse."
Then answered Fulgentius, and said, "Ah, dear lord, if it might please your highness for to hear me, I shall show you a subtle and deceitful imagination." "Say on," quoth the emperor.
"The steward," quoth Fulgentius, "that is now dead, came to me and said, that ye told unto him that my breath did stink, and thereupon he counselled me, that when I served you of your cup, I should turn my face away; I take God to witness, I lie not."
When the emperor heard this, he believed him, and said, "O my nephew, now I see, through the right wise judgment of God, the steward is burnt, and his own wickedness and envy is fallen on himself, for he ordained this malice against thee, and therefore thou art much bound to Almighty God that hath preserved thee from death."
XXX.—VENGEANCE DEFERRED.
A law was made at Rome, that no man should marry for beauty, but for riches only; and that no woman should be united to a poor man, unless he should by some means acquire wealth equal to her own. A certain poor knight solicited the hand of a rich lady, but she reminded him of the law, and desired him to use the best means of complying with it, in order to effect their union. He departed in great sorrow; and after much inquiry, was informed of a rich duke, who had been blind from the day of his birth. Him he resolved to murder, and obtain his wealth; but found that he was protected in the daytime by several armed domestics, and at night by the vigilance of a faithful dog. He contrived, however, to kill the dog with an arrow, and immediately afterwards the master; with whose money he returned to the lady. He informed her that he had accomplished his purpose; and being asked how this had been done in so short a space of time, he told all that had happened.
The lady desired, before the marriage should take place, that he would go to the spot where the duke was buried, lay himself on his tomb, listen to what he might hear, and then report it to her. The knight armed himself, and went accordingly. In the middle of the night he heard a voice saying, "O duke, that liest here, what askest thou that I can do for thee?" The answer was, "O Jesus, thou upright judge, all that I require is vengeance for my blood unjustly spilt." The voice rejoined, "Thirty years from this time thy wish shall be fulfilled." The knight, extremely terrified, returned with the news to the lady. She reflected that thirty years were a long time, and resolved on the marriage. During the whole thirty years the parties remained in perfect happiness.
When the thirty years were nearly passed, the knight built a strong castle, and over one of the gates, in a conspicuous place, caused the following verses to be written—