Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/172

 Poverty methinketh is a glass, through which he may see his true friends. And therefore, sir, sith I vex you naught, reprove me no more of my poverty.

"Now, sir, ye reprove me because of mine old age; and certes, sir, though there were no authority thereon in any book, yet ye honourable gentles say that men should show favour unto an old wight, and of your gentleness call him father ; and I ween I shall find authorities.

"Whereas, too, ye say that I am foul and old, therefore dread not that I shall be false to thee ; for, as I live, filth and old age be great wardens of chastity. Natheless sith I know your pleasure, I shall fulfil your worldly desire. Choose now one of these two things, to have me foul and old till I die and be to you a true, humble wife and never displease you in all my days, or else to have me young and comely, and take your chances of the resort that shall be to your house, because of me, or perchance to some other place. Now choose yourself, whichever it liketh you."

This knight taketh counsel with himself and sigheth sore, and at last he saith in this manner: "My lady and my love and my dear wife, I put me in your wise governance ; choose yourself which may be most pleasure and most honour to you and eke to me ; I reck not to which of the two ; for as it liketh you it sufficeth me." "Then," quoth she, "have I got the mastery of you, sith I may choose, and govern as it liketh me?" "Yea, certes, wife," quoth he, "I deem it best." "Kiss me," quoth she, "let us be wrathful no longer, for by my word, I will be both to you, that is to say, both fair, yea, and good. I pray to God that I may die mad unless I be to you as good and faithful as ever wife was since the world was new; and unless I be to-morrow as fair to see as any lady, empress or queen that is betwixt the east and