ng, at his feet and humbly
besought him pardon of every past affront, the which the count, having
raised him to his feet, graciously accorded him.

[Footnote 129: _i.e._ that it was not a snare.]

Then, after they had all three discoursed awhile of each one's various
adventures and wept and rejoiced together amain, Perrot and Jamy would
have reclad the count, who would on nowise suffer it, but willed that
Jamy, having first assured himself of the promised guerdon, should,
the more to shame the king, present him to the latter in that his then
plight and in his groom's habit. Accordingly, Jamy, followed by the
count and Perrot, presented himself before the king, and offered,
provided he would guerdon him according to the proclamation made, to
produce to him the count and his children. The king promptly let bring
for all three a guerdon marvellous in Jamy's eyes and commanded that
he should be free to carry it off, whenas he should in very deed
produce the count and his children, as he promised. Jamy, then,
turning himself about and putting forward the count his horseboy and
Perrot, said, 'My lord, here be the father and the son; the daughter,
who is my wife and who is not here, with God's aid you shall soon
see.'

The king, hearing this, looked at the count and albeit he was sore
changed from that which he was used to be, yet, after he had awhile
considered him, he knew him and well nigh with tears in his eyes
raised him--for that he was on his knees before him--to his feet and
kissed and embraced him. Perrot, also, he graciously received and
commanded that the count should incontinent be furnished anew with
clothes and servants and horses and harness, according as his quality
required, which was straightway done. Moreover, he entreated Jamy with
exceeding honour and would fain know every particular of his[130] past
adventures. Then, Jamy being about to receive the magnificent guerdons
appointed him for having discovered the count and his children, the
former said to him, 'Take these of the munificence of our lord the
king and remember to tell thy father that thy children, his
grandchildren and mine, are not by their mother born of a vagabond.'
Jamy, accordingly, took the gifts and sent for his wife and mother to
Paris, whither came also Perrot's wife; and there they all
foregathered in the utmost joyance with the count, whom the king had
reinstated in all his good and made greater than he ever was. Then
all, with Gau