"That is all very well--that is all very well. Let us skip all that, my daughter. Let us drop the details concerning the lad's looks." "Then you object, father, to my telling you all? He made a deep impression upon us." "Let us come to the episode of the chase." "It was dawn before I fell asleep, but only to dream about Vortigern. We saw him again at church. When I was not contemplating his bold and sweet face, I was praying for the safety of his soul. After mass, when I learned that there was to be a hunting party, my only fear was that he might not be one of the party. Judge, then, of my joy, father, when I saw him in your retinue. Suddenly his horse took fright and carried him off! Before I could reflect I plied the whip upon my palfrey to join him. Hildrude followed and tried to pass me. That irritated me. I struck her horse on the head. The animal bolted and carried her off in another direction. I was alone when I overtook Vortigern. The mist, then the rain and thereupon the night fell upon us. We noticed this woodcutter's hut and a brasier that was almost extinct. We then said to each other: 'It is impossible to find our way back, let us spend the night here.' Happily we noticed some chestnuts that had dropped on the ground from the trees. We gathered them, roasted them under the cinders--but we forgot to eat them--" "Because, I suppose, you were both tired, no doubt--and, in order to take rest, you lay down on this moss-bench, and the lad across the threshold?" "Oh, no, no, my father! Before falling asleep we chatted a good deal, we disputed a good deal. It was due to our discussion that Vortigern and myself forgot all about the chestnuts. Thereupon sleep overtook us and we stretched ourselves to rest." "But what was the subject, my child, of the discussion between you and the lad?" "Alack! I had wicked thoughts--those thoughts were combatted by Vortigern with all his might. It was upon that that our dispute ran. But I must admit that, after all, he was right. You will never believe me. I wanted to flee from Aix-la-Chapelle and go to Brittany with Vortigern--to marry him." "To leave me--my daughter--abandon your father--me, who love you so much?"