Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/42

 To which she replied with a chuckle, "I am sure, Sire, that if you hadn't tricked both the deer and me with that slingshot, you could never have done it. But with the trickery you used, every other man could also have pierced the deer's foot and ear."

The Emperor heard these seemingly disrespectful words, and feared that they had stained his honor since the most important barons of his court had heard them. Notwithstanding all the love he had for her, his heart was fiercely wounded. He was overcome by fervent anger and believing that he could not otherwise recover his honor, he ordered his ministers to have the young woman undress, have her hands tied behind her back, and lead her into a forest nearby, where the wild animals would devour het during the night.

The ministers carried out the order without delay. They took the miserable sorrowful young woman into the forest and left her to the mercy of the wild animals. Upon their return they told the Emperor that they had fully carried out his order. When he heard this, Beramo was greatly troubled by his love and anger, and he returned to the city sorrowful and sad.

Meanwhile, Diliramma, who had remained in the forest with her hands tied, started to cry profusely when the night fell. She recommended herself to God, all the while looking around in every direction for a wild animal coming to devour her.