Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/198

 others; for she hath been more tenderly fostered, and in my belief she could not suffer adversity as could a poorly fostered creature."

And when Walter saw her fortitude and glad cheer and how she bare no malice, and that he so often had done offence to her, and she aye stable and constant as a wall, continuing her innocence ever throughout, this cruel marquis gan incline his heart to take pity upon her wifely steadfastness.

"This is enough, Grisilde mine; be now no more aghast nor sorrowful," quoth he. "I have assayed thy faith and thy goodness, in great estate and in lowly garb, as well as ever woman was tried. Now know I, dear wife, thy steadfastness." And he took her in his arms and gan kiss her. But for wonder she marked it not ; she heard not what thing he said to her, but fared as she had started out of sleep, till she awaked out of her bewilderment. "Grisilde," quoth he, "by God that died for us, thou art my wife ; I have none other, nor ever had, so God save me! This is thy daughter, that thou supposed to be my wife ; that other, on my faith, as I have ever intended, shall be mine heir; verily thou borest him in thy body ; at Bologna privily have I kept him. Take them to thee again, for now thou mayst not say that thou hast lost either of thy two children. And I warn well the folk that have said otherwise of me, that I have done this deed for no malice nor cruelty, but to test in thee thy womanhood, and not— God forbid!—to slay my children, but to keep them in quiet privily till I knew thy temper and all thy heart."

When she heareth this, she sinketh down in a swoon for piteous joy, and after her swoon she calleth both her young children unto her, and piteously weeping, embraceth them in her arms, and tenderly kissing them, full like a mother, with her