And in hir kinde a reverence[325] Sche hath him do, and forth withal A Ston mor briht than a cristall Out of hir mouth tofore his weie Sche let doun falle, and wente aweie, For that he schal noght ben adrad. Tho was this povere Bardus glad, 5070 Thonkende god, and to the Ston[326] He goth and takth it up anon, And hath gret wonder in his wit Hou that the beste him hath aquit, Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed, For whom he hadde most travailed. Bot al he putte in goddes hond, And torneth hom, and what he fond Unto his wif he hath it schewed; And thei, that weren bothe lewed, 5080 Acorden that he scholde it selle. And he no lengere wolde duelle, Bot forth anon upon the tale The Ston he profreth to the sale; And riht as he himself it sette, The jueler anon forth fette The gold and made his paiement, Therof was no delaiement. [Sidenote: =P. ii. 298=] Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold, Homward with joie manyfold 5090 This Bardus goth; and whan he cam Hom to his hous and that he nam His gold out of his Purs, withinne He fond his Ston also therinne, Wherof for joie his herte pleide, Unto his wif and thus he seide, ‘Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi Ston!’ His wif hath wonder therupon, And axeth him hou that mai be. ‘Nou be mi trouthe I not,’ quod he, 5100 ‘Bot I dar swere upon a bok, That to my Marchant I it tok,[327] And he it hadde whan I wente: So knowe I noght to what entente It is nou hier, bot it be grace.[328] Forthi tomorwe in other place I wole it fonde forto selle, And if it wol noght with him duelle, Bot crepe into mi purs ayein, Than dar I saufly swere and sein, 5110 It is the vertu of the Ston.’[329] The morwe cam, and he is gon To seche aboute in other stede His Ston to selle, and he so dede,[330] And lefte it with his chapman there. Bot whan that he cam elleswhere, In presence of his wif at hom, Out of his Purs and that he nom [Sidenote: =P. ii. 299=] His gold, he fond his Ston withal: And thus it fell him overal, 5120 Where he it solde in sondri place, Such was the fortune and the grace. Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd, That it nys ate laste kidd: This fame goth aboute Rome[331] So ferforth, that the wordes come To themperour Justinian; And he let sende for the man,[332] And axede him hou that it was. And Bardus tolde him al the cas,[333] 5130 Hou that the worm and ek the beste,[334] Althogh thei maden no beheste, His travail hadden wel aquit; Bot he which hadde a mannes wit,[335] And made his covenant be mouthe And swor therto al that he couthe To parte and yiven half his good,