rived at the place
where lived the lady with whom the guide of this little band was so
enamoured that he could not sleep o'nights. They knocked at the door of
the castle, and the varlets quickly came and asked them what they
wanted. And he who was the most deeply concerned, answered and said;
"Gentlemen, are my lord and my lady at home?" "Truly," replied one of
the attendants for all the others, "my lord is not here, but my lady
is."

"Tell her if you please, that such and such knights and squires of the
Court, and I, so-and-so, have been hunting the hare in this part of the
country, and have lost our way, and now it is too late to return to the
town. We beg her therefore to receive us as her guests for this night."

"Willingly will I tell her," said the other.

He went and delivered this message to his mistress, who, instead
of coming to the gentlemen, sent a message, which the servant thus
delivered.

"Monseigneur," said the varlet, "my lady wishes me to inform you that
her husband is not here; at which she is much vexed, for if he had been
he would have given you a hearty welcome; but in his absence she does
not dare to receive visitors, and begs you therefore to pardon her."

The knight, who had led the expedition, was, you may imagine, much
vexed and ashamed to hear this reply, for he expected to have seen his
mistress, and had a pleasant time with her, and emptied his heart to
her, and he was annoyed that he had brought his companions to a place
where he had boasted they would be well received.

Like a wise and noble knight, he did not show what he felt in his heart,
but with a calm countenance said to his comrades,

"Gentlemen, pardon me that I have lured you with false hopes. I did not
believe that the ladies of this part of the country were so wanting in
courtesy as to refuse a lodging to wandering knights. But have a little
patience. I promise you on my word, to take you somewhere--not far from
here--where we shall have quite a different welcome."

"Forward then!" said all the others. "May God give us good luck."

They set off, under the direction of their guide, to take them to the
house of the lady by whom he was esteemed, though he did not return her
affection as he ought to have done; but now he determined to devote to
her the love which had been so roughly refused by his first mistress,
and he determined to love, serve, and obey her who loved him so, and
with whom, please God, he would soon be.