Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/194

182 and go at night to the house of him whom you love best, and say that you have accidentally killed a man, and if the body should be found I shall condemn you to an ignominious death. Intreat him if he ever loved you, to give his assistance in this extremity." The son did so; and the friend answered, "Since you have rashly destroyed a man, you must needs be crucified. Now because you were my friend, I will bestow upon you three or four ells of cloth to wrap your body in." The youth hearing this, went in much indignation to the second of his friends, and related the same story. He received him like the first, and said, "Do you believe me mad, that I should expose myself to such peril? But since I have called you my friend, I will accompany you to the cross, and console you as much as possible upon the way." This liberal proposal not meeting the prince's approbation, he went to the third, and said, "I am ashamed to speak what I have done: but, alas! I have accidentally slain a man." "My friend," answered the other, "I will readily lay down my life in your defence; and