Page:Tales from Chaucer.djvu/210

 charge you to remodel your petition. Take all my wealth, but let me go free.'

'Nay, then,' said she, 'may a curse alight upon both of us, if I, though ugly, old, and poor, would not for all the gold above and beneath the earth, rather become your wife—aye! and your love too.'

'My love!' said he,—'my perdition! Oh! that any of my community should be so foully brought into contempt!'—All, however, was of no avail; he was compelled to wed this old woman, and take her to bed and board—'for better for worse.'

The joy, the display, and the feasting that was made upon the marriage of these two is soon told; for, in good sooth, there was neither joy nor feasting; but heaviness instead, and sullen sorrow. The Knight was married privately the next morning, and all the day, like an owl, hid himself for vexation at the deformity of his wife. And at night when they were in bed he tossed and tumbled about in disgust; the old woman all the while lay smiling by his side. 'My dear husband,' said she, 'does every gallant Knight treat his newly made wife in this kind and graceful manner?