Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/105

 galley being prepared the steward and his wife embarked, with her many ladies and with him many nobles and knights, and the youth who had brought the broideries; and they came to his country with a fair voyage. But on the way the youth had discoursed with the steward of his father's jealousy, and how he feared that he would deny the maiden, and not suffer them to have sight of her. They therefore agreed what to do, and when they took port the steward and the youth left the ship unknown to the others, and went to the father's house by covert ways, and as the youth was familiar with the house he was able to find the lady in a retired part. She, not knowing he was there, chanced to look that way and saw him, and with him the guardian who had brought her up, and whom she knew well; and approaching nearer she allowed herself to be seen of them, who knowing her came up to speak to her, and the old man would have knelt to kiss her hand, but she would not suffer him. While they were thus engaged the father entered, marvelling to find people in his house, and when he knew his son he cried, Camest thou not in by the door? There is treachery, and seized him by his head, not seeing who was speaking with the damsel, thus the twain had time and occasion to escape from the house without being seen or hindered. And as soon as they were clear of it she covered herself with a man's cloak which the steward had brought with him, and they hastened down to the strand, and taking a boat embarked upon the ship without contradiction from any, and set sail in the same hour as they