Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/25

Rh He kneels down to make his shrift, when the pair of false pilgrims spring upon him, strangle him, cut his throat, and throw him into the ditch, and finding the Norman guards in drunken sleep, cut their throats likewise.

The pair are suddenly joined by Courtesy and Largess, and they enter together into the courtyard of the tower. Here they meet the Duenna, and after some discourse, assisted with promises and gifts, she agrees to deliver to Fair­-Welcome a chaplet of fresh flowers as coming from the Lover, together with his affectionate salutations, and even agrees to admit the Lover to an interview with her prisoner.

Fair-Welcome having feigned an affectionate regard for the Duenna, inquires from whom comes the fair chaplet, and she informs him that he owes it to the Lover. Fair-Welcome is coy of receiving the gift, fearing what Jealousy will say; but the Duenna persists in forcing it upon him, and says that if he should be asked from whom he had it, he can say that ’twas she who had presented it, to which no one is likely to make objection.

Fair-Welcome sets the chaplet on his head. The Duenna then declares an extreme affection for him, and proposes to give him a history of her life since the days when she was young and beautiful and surrounded by admirers. She calls down vengeance on those who had ill-treated her,