Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/70

48 large eyes looking downward, while slow tears, unseen by the crowd, ran over her cheeks, caused half by fear and half by wonder at what had happened. Not once did she look into her lord’s face, till the moment when they reached the palace steps; and leaping lightly from his horse, Duke Walter took her from the palfrey in his own royal arms. Then he said, “How say’st thou, Griselda? Wilt be my true wife, subject to my will, as a dutiful wife should be?”

And looking in his face, she said solemnly, as if it were her marriage vow, “I will be my lord’s faithful servant, obedient in all things.”

Then they brought rich robes to put on Griselda, and the priest pronounced the wedding ceremony, and the bridal feast was eaten, and patient Griselda became a great Duchess.

For a time all went on happily in the country of Saluzzo, where Duke Walter held reign. The people loved the meek Duchess no less that she was lowly born; and when two beautiful twin babes were born to the Duke, a boy and girl, the joy was unbounded all over the kingdom. Walter, too, was very joyful; or, he would have been very happy, if a demon of distrust had not been growing up in his heart ever since he had married the beautiful Griselda. He saw how gentle she was, and how, obedient to him in all things, and he was all the time uncertain