ine
exceeding folly; the one would have me pardon thee, the other would
have me, against my nature, deal harshly by thee. But ere I come to a
decision, I would fain hear what thou hast to say to this.' So saying,
he bowed his head and wept sore as would a beaten child.

Ghismonda, hearing her father's words and seeing that not only was her
secret love discovered, but Guiscardo taken, felt an inexpressible
chagrin and came many a time near upon showing it with outcry and
tears, as women mostly do; nevertheless, her haughty soul
overmastering that weakness, with marvellous fortitude she composed
her countenance and rather than proffer any prayer for herself,
determined inwardly to abide no more on life, doubting not but her
Guiscardo was already dead. Wherefore, not as a woman rebuked and
woeful for her default, but as one undaunted and valiant, with dry
eyes and face open and nowise troubled, she thus bespoke her father:
'Tancred, I purpose neither to deny nor to entreat, for that the one
would profit me nothing nor would I have the other avail me; more by
token that I am nowise minded to seek to render thy mansuetude and
thine affection favourable to me, but rather, confessing the truth,
first with true arguments to vindicate mine honour and after with
deeds right resolutely to ensue the greatness of my soul. True is it I
have loved and love Guiscardo, and what while I live, which will be
little, I shall love him, nor, if folk live after death, shall I ever
leave loving him; but unto this it was not so much my feminine frailty
that moved me as thy little solicitude to remarry me and his own
worth.

It should have been manifest to thee, Tancred, being as thou art flesh
and blood, that thou hadst begotten a daughter of flesh and blood and
not of iron or stone; and thou shouldst have remembered and should
still remember, for all thou art old, what and what like are the laws
of youth and with what potency they work; nor, albeit thou, being a
man, hast in thy best years exercised thyself in part in arms,
shouldst thou the less know what ease and leisure and luxury can do in
the old, to say nothing of the young. I am, then, as being of thee
begotten, of flesh and blood and have lived so little that I am yet
young and (for the one and the other reason) full of carnal desire,
whereunto the having aforetime, by reason of marriage, known what
pleasure it is to give accomplishment to such desire hath added
marvellous strength.