“The child has chosen for herself, my Lord.”
Then my mistress withdrew, and I followed her. How my head spun! My
mistress to wed a lord almost as great as the King himself, to go to
Paris to dwell, and I, Jehan, to go with her!
Of a truth I scarce drew breath for the next ten days, since we were to
go forth straightway, and there was hurly-burly to get us furnished
forth. At the end of that time we set out towards Paris, my Lord Comte
sending five hundred lances to safeguard my Lady, and the Duc de Berry
sending as many more, with litters, chariots, jewels, and fine robes to
meet us on our way. I have not speech to tell how fine we fared on that
journey. At every halt great silken tents were spread, my Lord Duc had
sent minstrels for to sing at my Lady’s pleasure, and there were litters
hung with scarlet and gold to carry her when she was a-weary. There were
women to wait on her, pages to run her bidding, and Jehan, chief of them
all, always at hand, with a chain of bright gold about his neck, to show
his new rank.