Chivalry -- Fiction; Knights and knighthood -- Fiction; Romances, Spanish -- Translations into English
He rode on lost in thought, suffering his horse to chuse the
path. About noon the horse came to some trees that grew beside a
mountain-stream, and then stopt, being weary with the heat and with the
toil of last night. Here Amadis recollected himself and looked round,
and was pleased to see no signs of a habitation: he alighted and drank
of the brook. Gandalin came up, and turning the horses to feed came
to his Master, whom he found more dead than alive; and, not daring to
disturb him, he lay down before him. Amadis continued in this mood
till sunset, then rising, he struck his foot against Gandalin: art
thou sleeping? quoth he. No, replied Gandalin, but I am thinking upon
two things which concern you, the which, if it please you to hear, I
will speak: if not, I will be silent. Amadis answered, go saddle the
horses, and let us begone: I do not chuse to be found by those who seek
me. Sir, said Gandalin, you are in a solitary place, and your horse is
so weary that, unless you allow him some rest, he cannot carry you.
Amadis replied, weeping, do what you think best: whether I stay or go,
there is no rest for me! Then Gandalin looked after the horses, and
returned to his Master, and begged him to eat of a pasty which he had
brought, but he would not. Sir, said he, shall I say the two things
whereon I have been thinking? Say what you will, quoth Amadis; I care
nothing now for any thing that may be said or done, and wish to live no
longer than till I can confess.—Then I pray you hear me, Sir: I have
thought much upon that letter which Oriana sent you, and upon the words
of the Knight with whom you fought; and seeing how light is the faith
of many women, it may be that she hath changed her affections, and so
has feigned anger against you, before you discover it. The other thing
is, that I believe her to be so good and loyal that she could not have
been thus moved, unless some great falsehood had been spoken of you,
which she believes and feels in her heart; and, since you know that you
have never been false, you should make the truth known, whereby she
will repent of what she hath done, and intreat your forgiveness for the
wrong, and you will enjoy your former happiness. It is better to take
food with this hope, than, by abandoning yourself to despair, to die
and lose her, and the glory of this world, and even the other. Hold thy
peace, for God's sake! quoth Amadis, for such foolishness and lies as
thou hast uttered, are enough to provoke the whole world. Oriana, my
Lady, has never done wrong; and, if I perish, it is but reasonable, not
for my deserving, but to accomplish her will and command: if I did not
know that thou hast said this to comfort me, I would cut off thy head!
you have greatly displeased me: never say the like to me again! He then
turned away in anger, and walked along the side of the stream.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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