Page:The Chronicle of Clemendy.pdf/148

 drawn down from Olympus Hill on the Marches of Greece; being altogether most delicious and wondrously tasty on the tongue. And before I had rinsed my mouth with many cups of these celestial juices, my eyes began to wander over the nine maidens, and soon met with an answer from the eyes of one of them, joined to sly smiles and downcast looks that, to speak the truth made me desirous of knowing more of her. Ladies, I crave your pardon, but I tell you this girl's lips were mighty red. But when we had finished feasting, and I had informed my host how I had wandered away from Gwent in the quest of Variety, curtains fell over the windows and the hall was suddenly darkened; but only for a moment; and I heard a sound of most strange palpitating music that swelled and died away and rose again; then were the doors thrown open, and two tall men entered carrying great tapers of wax aloft; and after them the minstrels, and then fifty more men bearing tapers, and these stood around the hall. So the music that had entered went up to the high table and played there; they that were in the gallery answering them, and the ladies and the knights began to tread a dance, weaving and unweaving perplex'd figures continually. But seeing the girl I had marked out still sitting I drew near to her, and endeavoured as courteously as I could to entertain her with such polished phrases and gentle discourse as my wit supplied. And to speak the truth she was not backward, her eyes consumed my soul and her voice thrilled through me as we talked and we