, and should end as miserably as did thy father and my dear
aunt. Trust to me, I have another idea which thou shalt know tomorrow
early. Thou wilt praise thy wife when thou seest how she has contrived
both to pay the debt to the creditor, and yet to be the wife of no man
except her dearest cousin, to whom she has given herself in the
presence of God. Lift me down from the saddle, I do not wish to ride
any longer. If it pleases you, my husband, let us walk back through the
wood, there are still many hours before day, and a fairer wedding-night
no count's daughter could ever wish for. And now kiss me, so that I may
again see a smile on thy lips; for truly this poor life is too short
for us to spoil even one moment of it by care and gloom." He
reluctantly did what she required of him; but when he took her into his
arms and their lips met, he could not refrain from asking, "Oh
Garcinde! What art thou thinking of? Hast thou not too much confidence
in thyself, and wilt thou not if thy plan fails make us both eternally
wretched?" But she smiled at him with bright eyes, laid her finger on
his mouth, and said, "You are the happiest married man on earth, Sir
Geoffrey; you have a wife who knows how to keep a secret. But now do
not press me any further. What have we to do with the morrow? To-day
are we already such old married people that we can find more important
subjects to speak of than our love? Say, Jaufret, do I really please
thee better than Agnes of Sardinia, and was her hand when she stroked
thy hair not softer than mine? Nay, but thou must not embrace me so
ardently here, the moon looks too boldly down, and after all she does
not know that thou art my dear husband. Come into the wood, I am weary
with our ride and would fain rest awhile. I know a bank where a brook
runs through the moss, numbers of flowers bloom there, and I will weave
them into fresh garlands, for those Aigleta made are quite crushed.
Poor Aigleta! Dost thou know that she loved thee too well? But that
cannot be helped now: no one can be the husband of two women; that is
against God's law. And I, though I be not indeed better than she, I am
the more unhappy of the two, or at least I should have been if thy
heart, my beautiful love, had not been mine."

With such words as these, which intoxicated the youth like strong wine,
they went down the hill and entered the wood. Their gentle horse
followed them of his own accord, and peacefully grazed near them in th