, were still in the belief that Herdegen's betrothal to
Ursula might be at once proclaimed to their friends.

I began to dress in haste and fear, and Susan was in the act of plaiting
my hair when Cousin Maud flew in to say that Queen Barbara had sent her
own litter to carry me to her. Thus had I to make all speed.

The royal quarters in the castle had been newly ordered by the town at
his Majesty's desire, and they were indeed bravely decked; yet never
had the like show pleased me less. The Queen was giving audience to the
Pope's Legate, to their excellencies the envoys from the Greek Emperor,
to my Lord Conrad the Elector of Maintz, and many more nobles. She had
made so bold as to declare that the German maidens were no less skilled
in the art of song than the damsels of Italy, and had bidden me to her
in such hot haste that I might let the notables there assembled hear
a few lays. I might not say nay to the royal behest; for better, for
worse, I must fain take my lute and sing, at first alone, and then with
my lord Conte di Puppi. Our voices presently brought the King to the
chamber, and in truth I won praise enough if I had best cared to hear
it. Nay, for the first time it was a torment to me to sing, and when the
notables had all been sent forth, and I was alone with the Queen and her
ladies, I knew not what ailed me but I burst into tears, hot and bitter
tears. The gracious Queen took me in her arms with womanly sweetness,
but while she gave me her phial of vinegar to smell, and spoke words of
comfort, I was suddenly scared at hearing close behind me right woeful
sobbing and sighing, as from a woman's breast. I looked about me,
and beheld Porro, the jester, who had cast himself on a couch and was
mocking me, pulling such a grimace the while that his smooth, long,
thin face seemed grown to the length of two lean faces. The sight was so
merry that I was fain to laugh. Whereas he nevertheless ceased not from
sobbing, the Queen reproved him and bid him not carry his fooling too
far. Whereupon he sobbed out: "Nay, royal and gracious Coz, thou art in
error. Never have I so shamelessly forgotten to play my part as Fool, as
at this moment. Alack, alack! what a thing is life! Were we not one and
all born fools, and if we did but measure it as it is now and ever
shall be, with the wisdom of the sage, we should never cease to bewail
ourselves, from the nurse's rod to the scythe of death."

Whether Porro were in earnest I cou