“And do you not know,” she said, “such and such a lord, and such another?”
“By St. John, yes!” he replied.
Finally, she named the lord at whose castle she had lived; and he replied that he knew him well, but not saying that he had lived there, or ever been there in his life.
“It is rumoured,” she said, “there are some pretty girls there. Do you know of any?”
“I know very little,” he replied, “and care less. Leave me alone; for I am dying to go to sleep!”
“What!” she said. “Can you sleep when pretty girls are being talked about? That is a sign that you are not in love!”
He did not reply, but slept like a pig, and poor Katherine began to have serious doubts about him, but she resolved to try him again.
When the morrow came, each dressed himself, talking and chattering meanwhile of what each liked best—Gerard of dogs and hawks, and Conrad of the pretty girls of that place and Brabant.
After dinner, Conrad managed to separate Gerard from the others, and told him that the country of Barrois was very flat and ugly, but Brabant was quite different, and let him know that he (Conrad) longed to return thither.
“For what purpose?” asked Gerard. “What do you see in Brabant that is not here? Have you not here fine forests for hunting, good rivers, and plains as pleasant as could be wished for flying falcons, and plenty of game of all sorts?”