The lady, who had come off victorious, knew that there was no man at her
brother's Court that durst attempt such an enterprise save him who had
had the boldness to declare his love to her. She therefore concluded
that it was indeed her host, and made search through the room with her
lady of honour to discover how he could have entered it. But in this she
failed, whereupon she said to her companion in great anger--
"You may be sure that it can have been none other than the lord of this
house, and I will make such report of him to my brother in the morning
that his head shall bear witness to my chastity."
Seeing her in such wrath, the lady of honour said to her--
"Right glad am I, madam, to find you esteem your honour so highly that,
to exalt it, you would not spare the life of a man who, for the love
he bears you, has put it to this risk. But it often happens that one
lessens what one thinks to increase; wherefore, I pray you, madam, tell
me the truth of the whole matter."
When the lady had fully related the business, the lady of honour said to
her--
"You assure me that he had nothing from you save only scratches and
blows?"
"I do assure you that it was so," said the lady; "and, unless he find a
rare surgeon, I am certain his face will bear the marks tomorrow.
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