Ye ben oure lord: doth with your owne thing be, master Right as yow list: axith no red of me; ask, advice For as I left at hom al my clothing Whan I first com to yow, right so, quod sche, Left I my wille and al my liberte, And took your clothing; wherfor, I yow preye you Doth your plesaunce, I wil youre lust obeye. desire “I have,” quoth she, “said this, and ever shall, I wish not, nor will wish, it is certain, But as you choose: I grieve me not at all, Although my daughter and my son be slain At your commandment: nor will I complain That I have had no part in children twain, But sickness first, and then a bitterer pain. “Thou art our lord: do, then, with what is thine E’en as thou wilt: ask not assent of me;-- For as I left at home all that was mine When I came first to thee, right so,” quoth she, “Left I my will and all my liberty, And took new habits: wherefore, now, I pray Do but thy pleasure, and I will obey.” “If I knew beforehand what your wish was,” said poor Griselda, “I would do it without delay; but now that I know your will, I am ready to die if you desire it; for death is nothing compared with your love!” When the marquis heard that, he cast down his eyes, and wondered how she could endure it all; and he went forth looking very dreary, but in reality he felt extremely pleased. The ugly sergeant came again, and took away the little boy: Griselda kissed it and blessed it, only asking that his little limbs might be kept from the wild beasts and birds; but the sergeant promised nothing, and secretly took him with great care to Bologna. The marquis was amazed at her patience; for he knew that, next to himself, she loved her children best of anything in the world. What could he do more to prove her steadfastness, and faithfulness, and patience? But there are some people who, when they have once taken a thing into their head, will stick to it as if they were bound to a stake. So this marquis made up his mind to try his wife still further. He watched her closely, but never could he find any change in her: the older she grew, the more faithful and industrious she was. Whatever he liked, she liked: there seemed but one will between them; and, God be thanked, all was for the best. But all this time the slander against Walter spread far and near; and the people said he had wickedly murdered both his children, because his wife was a poor woman. For the people had no idea what had really become of them. And they began to hate Walter instead of loving him, as they had once done; for a murderer is a hateful name. Still the marquis was so determined to test his wife, that he cared for nothing else.