was made of me. Dishonourable proposals were made to me in your name,
but I did not believe them, for I deem you so virtuous that on no
account would you dishonour one of your poor, humble subjects like me,
but on the contrary protect her."

"Drop this talk!" said my lord, "and be sure that you shall not escape
me. I told you why I sent to you, and of the good I intended to do you,"
and without another word, he seized her in his arms, and threw her down
on a heap of grass which was there, and pressed her closely, and quickly
made all preparations to accomplish his desire.

The young girl, who saw that she was on the point of losing that which
she held most precious, bethought her of a trick, and said,

"Ah, my lord, I surrender! I will do whatever you like, and without
refusal or contradiction, but it would be better that you should do with
me whatever you will by my free consent, than by force and against my
will accomplish your intent."

"At any rate," said my lord, "you shall not escape me! What is it you
want?"

"I would beg of you," said she, "to do me the honour not to dirty me
with your leggings, which are greasy and dirty, and which you do not
require."

"What can I do with them?" asked my lord.

"I will take them off nicely for you," said she, "if you please; for
by my word, I have neither heart nor courage to welcome you if you wear
those mucky leggings."

"The leggings do not make much difference," said my lord, "nevertheless
if you wish it, they shall be taken off."

Then he let go of her, and seated himself on the grass, and stretched
out his legs, and the fair damsel took off his spurs, and then tugged
at one of his leggings, which were very tight. And when with much
difficulty she had got it half off, she ran away as fast as her legs
could carry her with her will assisting, and left the noble Count, and
never ceased running until she was in her father's house.

[Illustration: 24.jpg HALF-BOOTED]

The worthy lord who was thus deceived was in as great a rage as he could
be. With much trouble he got on his feet, thinking that if he stepped
on his legging he could pull it off, but it was no good, it was too
tight, and there was nothing for him to do but return to his servants.
He did not go very far before he found his retainers waiting for him by
the side of a ditch; they did not know what to think when they saw him
in that disarray. He related his story, and they put his boots on for
him,