Amadis of Gaul, Vol. 3

by Vasco de Lobeira

Emperor then went toward him and said, Knight of the Green Sword, if by any means you could be persuaded to remain with me, there is nothing in my power which you could ask and I refuse. Sir, replied the Knight, such is your goodness that I should not dare to ask what you would grant, but this is not in my power, if I should consent death would not long leave me in your service. The Emperor then verily believed that only love could be the cause of this. At this time the fair Leonorina entered the hall, having a rich crown upon her head and another far richer in her hands, and she came up to the Knight and said, Sir Knight of the Green Sword, I have never yet asked boon of other than my father, and now I ask one of you, tell me that you grant it! He knelt before her and said, good Lady, who is he of so little understanding that he would fail to obey your command, having power to obey it? Now then demand what you will, which even to death shall be performed. Thank you, replied the Princess, I shall ask of you three boons, and with that taking the crown from her head,—this is one; you shall give this crown to the fairest Damsel whom you know, and tell her I sent it her, though I know her not, for such presents as this we use to bestow in our country. Then she took the other crown, which was

right richly set with pearls and precious stones, three of which in particular shone so that they would give light in any chamber how dark soever, and giving it to the Knight said, this you shall give to the fairest Dame whom you know, and say I sent it to her that I might know her; this is the second boon: now before I ask the third tell me how you will obey these? He took the first crown and placed it upon Leonorina's own head—I give this, said he, to the fairest Damsel whom I know, the which, if any one gainsay, I will prove her so to be in arms. At this were all well pleased, and so was Leonorina herself, although shamefaced at hearing her own praise, and they all said that he had fairly acquitted the first demand; but the Empress said, certes Knight of the Green Sword, I would rather have those whom you have overcome by arms than those whom my daughter can overcome by beauty! then was he also abashed at his own praise from so high a Lady, and answered nothing, but turning to Leonorina said, Lady mine, will you ask the third boon? she replied, yes; tell me wherefore you wept, and who is she who hath so great power over you and your heart. But then the Knight's colour changed and his chearful countenance, so that all could see he was distressed by that demand. Lady, said he, if it please you forego this

question, and ask something which shall be more to your service. She answered, this and nothing else is what I require! but he hung down his head and mused awhile, so that all knew how unwilling he was to reply. At length he looked up chearfully at Leonorina and said, Lady, since I cannot otherwise acquit myself of my promise I must needs say, that seeing you when you first entered, what you were and at what age, a recollection came upon me of other times that were full happy, but have now past away, and this was what made me weep. But tell me, quoth she, who is she that hath such command over your heart? It is my great ill-fortune, replied the Knight, that your gentle courtesy, which hath never failed towards another is against me now! I must obey greatly against my will. Know then that she whom I love is the same person to whom you send this crown, to my thoughts the fairest Dame of all whom I have ever yet seen, and I verily believe of all in the world, and now for God's sake Lady seek to know no farther from me, for I am acquitted of my promise. You are acquitted, replied the Emperor, but in such wise that we are nothing the wiser. I have said more than ever passed my lips before, quoth the Knight, for the desire I have to obey so fair a Lady. As God shall help me,

cried the Emperor, you must be right secret in your loves if you think you have disclosed any thing now, and since my daughter was the cause she must exact pardon for her error. Nay, quoth the Knight, I must rather hold it as a favour of her that being so high a Lady she should so earnestly seek to know the secret of an Errant Knight as I am; but you Sir I do not so lightly excuse! for by the long secret talk you had with her, it is manifest that she did so more by your will than her own. The Emperor smiled at this;—God has made you perfect in all things, for it is as you say, and therefore I will make amends both for my fault and hers! the Knight knelt and would have kissed his hands had he permitted. I receive this promise Sir, said he, to claim it when you perhaps will not think of it. Quoth the Emperor, that cannot be, I shall never fail to remember you, or to make this atonement when you require it. These words were sportively spoken between the Emperor and the Green Sword Knight, but the time came when they were of great effect.

Then said the fair Leonorina, Sir Knight of the Green Sword, though you excuse yet am I not free from fault in having urged you so against your will, in amends you must take this ring. Lady,

quoth he, I will kiss the hand that wears it, for no where else can it be placed where it will not have reason to complain of me.—Nay you shall take it to remind you of the snare I laid, from which you so subtilly escaped. She then threw the ring upon the estrado by him. I have another such stone, said she, in this crown which you gave me, I know not with what reason. Good witnesses of that reason, he replied, are those eyes and those locks, and all those other beauties with which God has gifted you! and taking the ring he saw it was the finest stone that ever he had seen, nor was there in the world another such, save that which was in the crown. You must know the history of that stone, said the Emperor, half of it as you see is the finest burning ruby that you can ever have seen, and the other half is white ruby, which belike you never saw till now, far more beautiful and precious than the red; the ring itself is of emerald, such that another like it could not easily be found. The famous Apolidon was my grandfather, I know not if you have heard this. I well know it, replied the Knight, for I have seen his statue in the Firm Island, and you truly appear to be of his lineage. I beseech you, quoth the Emperor, tell me the name of the Knight who, being greater than Apolidon in arms, hath won that Island.—Amadis

of Gaul, son to King Perion. What! cried the Emperor, is it he who was exposed in an ark upon the sea, and being called the Child of the Sea slew King Abies of Ireland, fighting him man to man? now am I right glad, and think it no shame that he, exceeding all men that have ever been born, should have exceeded Apolidon; if I could believe that he, being the son of a King, would wander so far from his own country, of a truth I should think that you were he, but this makes me think otherwise, and if it were so you would not do me the discourtesy not to tell me.

At this was Amadis abashed and with good reason: if it please you Sir, said he, tell me how the stone was divided.—Felipanos, who in that time was King of Judea, sent twelve rich crowns to my grandfather Apolidon; all were set with pearls and gems, but in that which you have given my daughter came this stone which was all one. Apolidon therefore seeing that this was the most precious crown by reason of the gem, gave it to my grandmother Grimanesa, and she, in order that Apolidon might have his part, made a master divide the stone, and with the half thereof make this ring; so that for love was this stone divided, and for love given to Apolidon, and I believe that in good

love my daughter gave it you, and you in still greater love may give it to another; and as the Emperor had said even so it came to pass, till at length it returned to the hand that first gave it, as is recorded in a branch of this history called the Sergas, which signifieth the Feats of Esplandian.

Thus was the Green Sword Knight entertained for six days in the house of the Emperor, and then he said that he must needs depart, being in honour bound to appear elsewhere, as Master Helisabad knew. I beseech you, replied the Emperor, since it is so, that you tarry with me yet three days longer. To this the Knight assented, but then the fair Leonorina took him by the cloak—good friend, you have given three days to my father, now then give yet two more to me, that you may be my guest where I and my Damsels dwell, for we would enjoy your company without any others to disturb us, except any two Knights whom you may chuse to be your companions at bed and board! this boon you must freely grant, or else I will bid my Damsels take you prisoner, and that you will little like! with that more than twenty-five Damsels rose and surrounded him, and Leonorina laughed and said, wait till we see what answer he makes: