but he will have it if it can be found in
the world. When this matter was proclaimed Alexander, who went
each evening to see the queen, had not forgotten his custom. On
this evening he had again gone thither; they were seated side by
side, both Alexander and the queen. Before them Soredamors was
sitting alone nearest to them; and she looked at him as gladly as
though she would not have preferred to be in Paradise. The queen
held Alexander by his right hand, and looked at the golden thread
which had become greatly tarnished; and the hair was becoming yet
fairer whereas the gold thread was growing pale; and she
remembered by chance that Soredamors had done the stitching and
she laughed thereat. Alexander observed it and asks her, if it
may be told, to tell him what makes her laugh. The queen delays
to tell him, and looks towards Soredamors, and has called her
before her. She has come very gladly and kneels before her.
Alexander was much joyed when he saw her approach so near that he
could have touched her; but he has not so much courage as to dare
even to look at her; but all his senses have so left him that he
has almost become dumb. And she, on the other hand, is so
bewildered that she has no use of her eyes, but fixes her gaze on
the ground, and dares not direct it elsewhere. The queen greatly
marvels; she sees her now pale, now flushed, and notes well in
her heart the bearing and appearance of each and of the two
together. She sees clearly and truly, it seems to her, judging by
the changes of colour, that these are signs of love; but she does
not wish to cause them anguish: she feigns to know nothing of
what she sees. She did just what it behoved her to do; for she
gave no look or hint save that she said to the maiden: "Damsel,
look yonder and tell--hide it not from us--where the shirt that
this knight has donned was sewn, and whether you had a hand in
it, and put in it somewhat of yours?" The maiden is ashamed to
say it; nevertheless, she tells it to him gladly; for she wishes
that he should hear the truth; and he has such joy of hearing it
when she tells and describes to him the making of the shirt, that
with great difficulty he restrains himself when he sees the hair
from worshipping and doing reverence to it. His comrades and the
queen, who were there with him, cause him great distress and
annoyance; for on account of them he refrains from raising it to
his eyes and to his lips where he would fain have pressed i