‘But as it frequently befalls with love, it now befell that Love was bent on besieging the Lady Margarida with his siege, and he kindled her thoughts with fire. So much was she pleased with Guillem’s demeanour, and his speech, and his countenance, that one day she could not withhold herself from saying, “Tell me, Guillem, if a lady were to show you semblance of love, would you dare to love her?” Guillem, who understood her meaning, answered frankly, “Certainly, lady, if I knew that the semblance were true.” “By St. John,” replied the lady, “a good and noble answer; but now I will test thee, if thou canst know and distinguish truth from falsehood.” When Guillem heard these words, he replied, “May it be as it pleases you.”’ The biographer goes on to describe how the thoughts thus enjoined upon Guillem by the lady rouse his soul from amorous reflection to desire; ‘and henceforth he became a servant to Love, and began to invent stanzas graceful and gay, and tunes and canzos, and his songs found favour with all, but most with her for whom he sang.’ Thus, once again, the flame of poetry was awakened by the fire of passion. ‘But Love,’ the manuscript continues, ‘who rewards the labours of his servants when it pleases him, now thought of showing himself grateful. He assails the thoughts of the lady with love and desire; night and day she cannot leave off thinking of the poet’s valour and beauty.’ ‘One day the lady took Guillem aside, and spoke to him this wise: “Guillem, tell me, hast thou yet found out of my semblance if it is true or false?”[20] Guillem answered, “Lady, so God help me, from the hour I entered your service, no thought has entered my mind but that you are the best lady ever born, and the most truthful in word and appearance; this I believe, and shall believe all my life.”’ Thus the fateful knot of passion is tied between these two; and fate is rapid in its approach. ‘For soon,’ the story continues, ‘the tell-tales, whom God hates, began to talk of their love, and to guess by Guillem’s songs that he was of one mind with Lady Margarida. These went on talking high and low, till at last it came to the ear of Sir Raimon. He was ill pleased and hot with rage through having lost the friend he loved so well, and more because of the shame of his spouse.’