Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/77

 But the King judged that his honor would not allow him to agree to her demand. “Madam," he told her, if any of my predecessor kings had in the past done this, you can be sure, that because of my great love towards you I would be willing to consent not only to this, but to anything else, that may be even more important, and you can easily ascertain this if you let me prove this to you. But because I have not heard that this has ever happened in either this or in another realm, you will be glad to excuse me since I have to respect the honor, which matters more than anything else. Therefore, I can't agree to your request."

In response to these words she replied, "Sire, in truth I would never have believed that you would deny the first grace which I asked of you. But because I really know that I am not very dear to you, and that you would not be willing to satisfy my honest desire, you have to know, that I will also rather suffer death than letting you lie down beside me. If it is the right thing that you have your honor, as you have said, likewise, I too must maintain my respect."

The decision of the Queen greatly annoyed the King, and he thought that, if he could operate astutely, he could attempt not to have to deal with this. Hence, one day, after a long separation of his love towards her, he said, "Madam, since you are really my wife, you greatly insult me, if you do not want to lie beside me if your name is not engraved besides mine on coins.