The last gift was from her husband, a golden signet that confirmed her inheritance, and which bore this motto: “Now thou art espoused, be faithful.”
The princess received these gifts with gratitude, and parted not with them but with her life.
“The meanings of some of these presents are clearly too recondite to be guessed at,” remarked Herbert on the conclusion of the tale.
“You will say so, when we read them. But first of the actors in the tale,” rejoined Lathom, “the emperor is our Heavenly Father, and his daughter, the human soul which he delivers to the five senses, armed by the powers of baptism, to guard from injury. The burning lamp is the will, shining brilliantly in good works and dispelling the gloom of sin. The watchful dog is conscience; as often as the soul breaks any of the commands of God, it may be said to look abroad on the world and its dangers. Then comes the devil, the great seducer, whose triumph over the soul is easy, when the lamp of the will is extinguished, and the barking of conscience is silenced. Then God arises as our champion, and fights for us against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and leads back the sinning soul to the palace of the heavenly king. The sage Lord, the Mediator, is our Saviour: ‘for he is our peace, who hath made both one.’”
“This is tolerably clear and probable,” said Thompson.
“The marriage presents will compensate for it. From him, continues the moral, we received the aforesaid gifts: first a cloak descending to the ankle, that is, his most precious skin; and said to be of delicate texture, because it was woven with stripes, blood, bruises, and other various instances of malice; of which texture nothing more is meant than this: ‘I have raised thee up, because I have redeemed thee; do not throw thyself into further evil.’ That same Christ, our king, gave to us a glorious crown, that is, when he submitted to be crowned for our sakes. And of a truth, ‘thy dignity is from me,’ even from that crown. Christ is our champion, who gave us a sign—that is, the hole in his right hand; and we ourselves can see how faithfully it is written: ‘I have loved thee, do thou also love.’ He gave us another ring, which is the puncture in his left hand, where we see written: ‘What have I done? How much? Why?’ ‘What have I done?’ I have despoiled myself, receiving the form of a servant. ‘How much?’ I have made God and man. ‘Why?’ To redeem the lost. Concerning these three, Zechariah xiii., ‘What are the wounds in the middle of thy hands?’ and he answered, saying: ‘I am wounded by these men in their house, who loved me.’ Christ is our brother, and son of the Eternal King. He gave us a third ring,—to wit, the hole in his right foot; and what can be understood by it, but, ‘Thou art noble, despise not thy nobility?’ In like manner, Christ is our brother-german. And he gave us a fourth ring, the puncture in his left foot, on which is written, ‘Approach, fear not, I am thy brother.’ Christ is also our spouse; he gave us a signet, with which he confirmed our inheritance: that is, the wound made in his side by the spear, on account of the great love with which he loved us. And what can this signify, but, ‘Thou art joined to me through mercy. Sin no more.’”
“You have established the character of the Gesta for recondite moralization,” said Thompson, “will you give us a tale rather more intelligible?”
“Willingly,” rejoined Lathom, “you shall have the tale that Gower has versified.”
THE EMPEROR LEO AND THE THREE IMAGES.
A certain Roman emperor, Leo, was so fond of looking upon a pretty face, that he made three fair female images, and placed them in a temple, that all his subjects might look on them and worship. One statue stood with its hand extended towards the worshippers, and bore on its finger a golden ring, on which was the legend, “My finger is generous.” The second figure had a beard of beaten gold, and on its brow was written: “I have a beard; if any one be beardless, let him come to me, and I will give him one.” The third figure had a cloak of gold and a purple tunic, and on its breast was written, “I fear no one.” With so many temptations came a law, that whosoever stole either the ring, the beard, or the cloak, should surely die. A thief was soon found. According to the poet: