er and
services at your disposal, you ought not to refuse us
compliance." Thus they think to befool and to cheat her, but it
avails nought; for she cares and recks nought of their service,
so that when the physicians see that they will avail nothing with
regard to her by cajolery or by entreaty, then they take her off
the bier and strike her and beat her; but their fury is to no
purpose, since for all this they draw not a word from her. Then
they threaten and frighten her and say that, if she does not
speak, she will that very day find out the folly of her action;
for they will inflict on her such dire treatment that never
before was its like inflicted on any body of caitiff woman. "Well
we know that you are alive and do not deign to speak to us. Well
we know that you are feigning and would have deceived the
emperor. Have no fear of us at all. But if any man has angered
you, disclose your folly, before we have further wounded you, for
you are acting very basely; and we will aid you, alike in wisdom
or in folly." It cannot be, it avails them nought. Then once more
they deal her blows on the back with their straps, and the
stripes that run downwards become visible, and so much do they
beat her tender flesh that they make the blood gush out from it.
When they have beaten her with straps till they have lacerated
her flesh, and till the blood which issues through her wounds
runs down from them, and when for all that they can do nothing
nor extort sigh or word promise her; they are meddling to no
purpose. And from her, and she never moves nor stirs, then they
tell her that they must seek fire and lead, and that they will
melt it and will pour it into her palms rather than fail to make
her speak. They seek and search for fire and lead; they kindle
the fire; they melt the lead. Thus the base villains maltreat and
torture the lady, for they have poured into her palms the lead,
all boiling and hot just as they have taken it from the fire. Nor
yet is it enough for them that the lead has passed through and
through the palms, but the reprobate villains say that, if she
speak not soon, straightway they will roast her till she is all
grilled. She is silent and forbids them not to beat or ill-treat
her flesh. And even now they were about to put her to the fire to
roast and grill, when more than a thousand of the ladies, who
were in front of the palace, come to the door and see through a
tiny chink the torture and the unhappy fate tha