After the celebrations were over, Diafebus, the Duke of
Macedonia, lived in the emperor's palace. The following day the
duke invited all those of his lineage, Rocasalada, to dine.
While the guests were eating, the emperor told his daughter to go
to the duchess' chamber since all the foreigners from Brittany
were there.
"The duke is attempting to pay them honor, and celebrations like
this are useless if there are no maidens present."
The princess replied:
"My lord, I will obey Your Majesty's command."
Accompanied by many ladies and maidens she started toward the
duchess' chamber. With great malice Widow Repose went up to her,
and said:
"Oh, my lady! Why does Your Highness want to go where these
foreigners are? Do you want to disturb their dinner? When they
see Your Excellency no one will dare eat in your presence. You
and your father want to honor them and give them pleasure, and
yet you do them great harm. For all of them would prefer to see
the wing of a partridge than all the maidens in the world. Your
Highness should not act so freely, going to such a place, since
you are the emperor's daughter. Think highly of yourself if you
want to be well thought of by other people. It's a bad sign when
I see Your Excellency always with that fool, Tirant."
"Don't I have to obey what my father, the emperor, orders me to
do?" said the princess. "I don't think anyone would blame me for
obeying my father's command."
But she went back to her own chamber without visiting the
duchess. When everyone had eaten, Plaerdemavida decided to see
Tirant and talk to the duchess. Seeing Tirant sitting there,
deep in thought, she went over to him, and to console him she
said:
"Captain, my lord, my soul suffers deeply when it sees you so sad
and lost in thought. Tell me, your grace, how I can help, for I
will not fail you even if my life were in the balance."
Tirant was very grateful to her. The duchess approached them,
and asked Plaerdemavida why the princess had not come.
Plaerdemavida answered that Widow Repose was the cause, for she
had scolded her at length.
And she would not tell what the Widow had said about Tirant so
that he would not explode in anger.
"I wish," said Tirant, "that she were a man. Then I could repay
her for all the wicked things she says."
"Would you like to do it properly?" asked Plaerdemavida. "Let's
leave the wickedness aside and get right down to business; the
remedies will come later. I'm well aware that we won't
accomplish anything if we don't mix in a little force, so I'll
tell you what I think. Her Highness told me to prepare a bath
for her the day after tomorrow. So when everyone is eating I'll
take you into the chamber where she takes her bath in such a way
that no one will see you. When she comes out of the bath and
goes to sleep I'll be able to place you by her side in the bed.
And just as you are serious and skillful on the battlefield you
must be the same way in bed. This is the quickest road for
getting what you want. If you know a better one, speak up, don't
hold your tongue."
The duchess said:
"Let me talk to her first, and I'll see what sort of answer she
gives. Your idea will have to be the last thing we do to get
what we want."
Tirant spoke:
"I wouldn't want to do anything that would offend my lady. What
good would it do me to have my desire with Her Highness if it's
against her will? I would rather undergo a cruel death than make
Her Majesty angry in any way, or do anything against her wishes."
"In God's faith, I don't like what I'm hearing from you," said
Plaerdemavida. "If the desire to love exists in you, you won't
run away from the narrow path I'm offering you. My experience
speaks for itself, and it desires to serve you and bring you all
the good I can--even more than I can. But I see that you're
going off in a strange direction. You want to go down a dead-end
street. From now on you go find someone else to take care of
your problem. I don't want to have anything more to do with it."
"Maiden," said Tirant, "I beg you, please, don't be angry. Let's
put our minds together and do what's best. If you fail me in
this, there's nothing left for me to do but go off, hopeless,
like a madman."
"Not even the angels," said Plaerdemavida, "could give you better
advice than I have."
They decided that the duchess should go to the princess's chamber
to see if it was possible for him to talk to her. When they got
there they found her in her room, combing her hair. Then the
duchess thought up some youthful mischief: she went into a room
that the princess would have to pass through when she came out of
her chamber. She lay down at the foot of the bed and leaned on
her elbow, very dejected. When the princess heard that she was
there, she sent word for her to come into the chamber, but the
duchess did not want to go. And Plaerdemavida, who had contrived
it all this way, told her:
"Leave her alone. She can't come. She's very sick and I don't
know what's wrong with her. She's very sad."
When the princess had combed her hair, she came out of the
chamber and saw the duchess with a very sad face. She went over
to her and said:
"Oh, my dear sister! What's wrong? Please, I beg you, tell me
quickly, for I feel very bad about your illness, and if I can
help you in any way, I will."
"I'll tell Your Highness what hurts me, for I am prepared to lose
my life in this matter. It's impossible for me to go back on the
promise I made, by your command, to Tirant in the castle of
Malvei. So, my lady, I beg Your Excellency not to allow me to
remain a perjurer or for you to be the cause of my downfall, for
I will have to be on bad terms with the duke and with Tirant."
As the duchess said this, tears flowed from her eyes. The
painful tears of the duchess moved the princess to pity, and she
forgot much of the anger she felt for Tirant. With a humble
voice she answered tenderly:
"Duchess, you have to realize that I am just as sad as you are.
But, my lady and sister, don't grieve any longer, for you know
that I love you more than anyone in the world, and I will behave
from now on as God wills. Since you want me to talk to Tirant, I
will, out of love for you, even though I have little desire to do
anything for him. If you knew how he treats me and all the
things he's said about me, you would be astonished. I'll put up
with him because of the great danger we're in, and because we all
need him. But I swear to you by this blessed day that if it
weren't for that I would never allow him in my presence again.
Who would think that such ingratitude could exist in such a
virtuous knight."
The duchess replied with the following words:
"My lady, I am astonished that Your Highness could believe that a
knight as noble and virtuous as Tirant could have said even one
word to offend Your Majesty. If his ears had heard anything
spoken against you, he would have killed everyone including
himself. So don't even think, Your Highness, that Tirant is the
way he's been described to you. Some miserable person has led
you to believe a false story, and is trying to destroy the
reputation of the best knight in all the world."
Plaerdemavida stepped in and said:
"My lady, take that vice of having bad thoughts about Tirant out
of your head, for if anyone in the world deserves merit, it's
Tirant. Who is the half-wit who could make Your Majesty believe
that a knight exists who can even compare to him in glory, honor
and virtue? There is no one (unless they wanted to lie) who
could say (unless it's with great wickedness) that Tirant would
say anything but good things about Your Excellency. Forget what
wicked people say, and love the one you should love, for it will
be to your great glory to possess such a virtuous knight. Love
one who loves you, my lady, and leave the wicked talk to that
devil, Widow Repose. She's the one who's causing all this
trouble, and I trust God that it will all fall back on her. I
have only one hope in this world: to see her whipped through the
streets of the city, naked, with cow entrails hanging down her
shoulders, her eyes and her face."
"Be quiet," said the princess. "You just think Widow Repose is
telling me all this, but she's not. I'm the one who can see all
the terrible things that could happen. But in spite of it all,
I'll do whatever you tell me."
"If you listen to my advice," said Plaerdemavida, "I'll tell you
to do only things that will bring you honor."
And so they left. The duchess went back to her chambers and
found Tirant there, and she told him everything that had
happened. Tirant, very happy, went to the great hall where the
emperor, the princess and the empress were, with all the ladies,
and they danced there for a good while. And the princess
continually entertained Tirant.
After the dancing was over, when the princess withdrew to dine,
Widow Repose approached her. With no one around to hear, she
said:
"It hurts me to see how much love permits, and I curse the day
you were born. For many people constantly turn their eyes to
Your Majesty, and then to me, and they say to me three times:
'Oh, Widow! Oh, Widow Repose! How can you allow a man who is a
foreigner to carry off Carmesina's virginity?' Just imagine if
someone who hears words like those doesn't have the right to
grieve and to despair of their life? How could you think, my
lady, that such a thing could be done without bishops and
archbishops knowing of it? I'm only telling you all this, my
lady, to bring it to mind again, for I've already told you about
it several times."
She decided to say no more, and waited to see what the princess
would say. The princess was brimming with emotion at this
moment, but she had no time to reply to the poisonous words of
the wicked Widow because the emperor was at his table, waiting
for the princess, and he had sent word for her to come twice
already.
The princess said:
"Madam Widow, to be able to give an answer to everything you have
told me would be a delicious meal for me."
She left the chamber, and when the duchess, who was waiting to
find out if Tirant could go to her that night, saw her come out
so agitated and flushed, she did not dare say a word to her. But
when Plaerdemavida saw her in that state too, and also saw the
Widow following behind, she said to her:
"Oh, my lady, I've always noticed that when the sky turns red
it's the sign of a storm."
"Shut up, you madwoman," said the princess. "You're always
spouting nonsense."
You can imagine how the princess must have appeared, for when the
emperor saw her he asked her why she looked that way, and if
anyone had made her angry. The princess answered:
"No, my lord. Since I left Your Majesty's side I've been lying
down in my bed, because my heart has been in pain. But thanks to
Our Heavenly Father I have found a cure for my ache."
The emperor commanded the doctors to oversee her diet, and they
ordered pheasant for dinner, which is gentle meat for the heart.
The duchess sat at her side, not to eat, but to be able to talk
to her and to tell her that Tirant was waiting for her in his
chamber with good news. When the meal was over, the duchess
leaned toward her and whispered:
"What is open has the seal of truth, and what is done secretly,
as the Widow does, shows evil. A vassal cannot deceive his
master, and since the Widow is my vassal, I want her death, for
her actions deserve great punishment."
"My duchess," said the princess, "I love you very much, and I
will do as much for you as one can reasonably do for her
sister--even more. Leave Widow Repose alone, because even though
she's your vassal, she's not to blame for anything."
The duchess said:
"Give me an answer to that matter of Tirant: Do you want him to
come tonight? I'm sure that's what he's hoping for so anxiously.
Don't tell me no, upon your life."
"I'll be very happy for him to come this evening," said the
princess. "I'll wait for him here and we shall dance, and if he
wishes to tell me anything, I'll listen to him."
"Oh, my dear girl," said the duchess. "Now you want to change
the game on me. I'm only telling you that if you want that
virtuous man, Tirant (without whom you can gain neither blessings
or honor) to come see you, the same way he did that pleasant
night in the castle of Malvei-- let's see if you can catch my
meaning now!"
"I can't think at all when you mention Tirant's name to me," said
the princess. "You may certainly tell Tirant that I beg him, as
a knight full of faith and virtue, to stop tempting my soul which
has been crying tears of blood for many days. But after he comes
here it will be I who will consent, and in a greater way than he
imagines."
"Oh, my lady!" said the duchess. "If Your Excellency wishes to
do battle with Tirant, place yourself in his arms again with the
same fear you felt that night at Malvei, with the promises and
oaths you swore to him."
"Shall I tell you something, my sister and my lady?" said the
princess. "I want to keep my reputation and my honor as I value
my life. And this I intend to do with God's help."
The duchess left very angrily, and when she saw Tirant she told
him about her lady's bad disposition. Tirant's anguish increased
to an even greater degree than usual.
When the emperor had dined, knowing that Tirant was in the duke's
chamber, he sent for him and said to the princess:
"Send for the minstrels so that the knights can enjoy themselves.
The time for their departure has been set."
"No," said the princess. "I feel more like going to bed than
dancing."
She immediately took leave of her father and withdrew to her
chamber so that she would not have to talk to Tirant. Widow
Repose, who had heard her say these words, was very satisfied
with what she had done. Plaerdemavida went to the duchess'
chamber and said to Tirant:
"Captain, put no hope in this lady as long as Widow Repose is
around her. They've already withdrawn to her chamber, and are
speaking together about your affairs. You'll never get your way
with her unless you do what I'm going to tell you: Tomorrow
she'll take her bath, and I will be so clever that at night I'll
put you in her bed. You'll find her completely naked. Do what
I'm telling you, for I know she'll never say a word. Where the
duchess used to sleep, I've taken her place now that she's no
longer there. Since this is the case, let me take care of it."
"Maiden," said Tirant, "I am extremely grateful to you for all
your gentility, and for what you are telling me, but there is one
thing you should know about me: I wouldn't use force against a
lady or maiden for anything in the world, even if it should cost
me the crown of the Empire of Greece, or of Rome, or of the
entire Kingdom of Earth. I prefer to go through the pain and
trial of pleading with her, for I am completely convinced that
she was created in Paradise. Her gracefulness shows that she is
more angelic than human."
He said no more. Plaerdemavida, showing her anger to Tirant,
said:
"Tirant, Tirant, you will never be brave or feared in battle if
you don't mix a little bit of force in when you love a lady or a
maiden. Since you have a good and genteel hope, and you love a
maiden valiantly, go into her room and throw yourself down on her
bed when she's naked or in her nightshirt, and wound her boldly,
because among friends no towel is necessary. And if you don't do
it, I won't be your ally any longer, for I know many knights who
have deserved honor, glory and fame from their ladies because
they had their hands ready and valiant. Oh Lord, how wonderful
to have a tender maiden, about fourteen years old and completely
naked, in your arms! Oh Lord, how wonderful to be in her bed,
kissing her all the while! Oh Lord, how wonderful if she's of
royal blood! Oh Lord, how wonderful to have an emperor as her
father! Oh Lord, how wonderful to have her rich and generous,
and free of all infamy!... Now what I want most of all is for
you to do what I tell you."
By this time most of the night was gone and they wanted to lock
up the palace, so Tirant had to leave. When he had said
goodnight to the duchess and was already going out, Plaerdemavida
said:
"Captain, my lord, I wouldn't be able to find anyone who would do
as much for me: Go to sleep, and don't come back from the other
side."
Tirant burst out laughing and said to her:
"You have such an angelic nature, you're always giving good
advice."
And so they went their separate ways.
That night Tirant thought about everything the maiden had said to
him. The next morning the emperor sent for the captain, and he
immediately went and found him dressing, and the princess had
come to wait on him. She was wearing a brocade skirt, with no
cloth covering her breasts, and her hair, loosened somewhat,
almost reached to the ground. When Tirant approached the emperor
he was astonished to see as much perfection in a human body as he
saw in her then. The emperor said to him:
"Captain, in God's name, I beg you to do everything possible so
that you can leave with your men soon."
Tirant was so impressed by the vision of this striking lady that
he was stupefied and could not speak. After some time had passed
he recovered and said:
"I was thinking about the Turks when I saw Your Majesty, so I
didn't hear you. Your Highness, tell me what you want me to do,
I beg you."
The emperor was surprised to see him so distracted, but since he
had understood so little he thought that that must be the case,
for he had seemed entranced for half an hour. The emperor
repeated what he had said, and Tirant answered:
"My lord, Your Majesty should know that the crier is running
throughout the city, telling everyone that the departure is set
for Monday, and today is Friday. So we will be leaving very
soon, my lord, and nearly everyone is already prepared."
Tirant stood behind the emperor so that he would not see him, and
covering his face with his hands, he looked at the princess. She
and the other maidens laughed out loud while Plaerdemavida stood
in front of the emperor, and taking the emperor's arm, she turned
him toward her and said:
"If you have done anything noteworthy it's because of Tirant, who
conquered the Grand Turk and made him lose the false and terrible
madness he had about ruling the entire Greek empire. He also
intended to conquer the old emperor here with pretty words, and
instead the Turkish kings and the sultan desperately ran for
safety to the great fortress in the city of Bellpuig. And not at
their leisure, but swept along by the fear that took control of
their feet. He has won renown by his own virtue, and if I had
the royal scepter and were lord of the Greek empire, and if
Carmesina had come from my body, I know very well whose wife I
would make her. But all of us girls are foolish like this: we
want nothing but honor, position, and dignity, and as a result
many of us come to a bad end. What good would it do for me to
belong to the line of David if I lost what I had for lack of a
good man? And you, my lord, try to save your soul, since you've
spared your body in battles in the past, and don't even think
about giving any other husband to your daughter but... Do I have
to say it? I won't... I must: the virtuous Tirant. Take this
consolation while you're alive, and don't expect it to be done
after your blessed days are over, because the things that nature
wills and that are ordered by God must be consented to. That way
you'll have glory in this world and paradise in the next."
Then she turned to the princess, and said:
"You who are of such lofty blood, take a husband soon--very soon.
If your father won't give you one, I will, and I'll give you none
other than Tirant. For it's a wonderful thing to have both a
husband and a knight, whoever can have one. This man is greater
than all the others in prowess. If you don't think so, Your
Majesty, look at the disorder of your empire and the point it had
reached before Tirant came to this land."
"Please be quiet, girl," said Tirant, "and don't say such
outlandish things about me."
"Go on out to your battles," said Plaerdemavida, "and let me be."
The emperor answered:
"By the bones of my father, the emperor Albert, you are the most
extraordinary maiden in the world, but the further you go, the
more I like you. And now, as a present, I'm going to give you
fifty thousand ducats."
She knelt to the ground and kissed his hand. The princess was
very disturbed by what she had said, and Tirant was somewhat
embarrassed. When the emperor had finished dressing he went to
mass. As they came out from mass Tirant had an opportunity to
talk to the princess, and he said to her:
"Anyone who makes a promise puts himself in debt."
"The promise," said the princess, "was not made in the presence
of a notary."
Plaerdemavida, who was standing nearby, heard the princess's
reply, and quickly said to her:
"Let's have none of that: a promise to fulfill love doesn't
require any witnesses, and even less a notary. What a miserable
state we'd be in if we had to have it in writing every time!
There wouldn't be enough paper in the world! Do you know how
it's done? In the dark and without witnesses, because the
lodging is never missed."
"Oh, this madwoman!" said the princess. "Do you always have to
talk to me about the same thing?"
No matter how much Tirant spoke to her, no matter how he pleaded,
she would do nothing for him.
When they were in the chambers, the emperor called Carmesina and
said to her:
"Tell me, my daughter, those things Plaerdemavida said--where do
they come from?"
"I'm sure I don't know, my lord," said the princess. "I never
spoke of such a thing to her. But this madwoman is impertinent
and she says anything that comes into her head."
"She's no madwoman," said the emperor. "In fact, she's the most
sensible maiden in my court. She's a good girl, and she always
gives good advice. Haven't you noticed when you've come to the
council chambers that when you make her talk she is always very
discreet? Would you like to have our captain for your husband?"
The princess blushed shamefully, and could not utter a word.
After a moment, when she had recovered, she said:
"My lord, when your captain has finished conquering the Moors,
then I will do whatever Your Majesty commands me."
Tirant went to the duchess' chamber, and sent for Plaerdemavida.
When she was there, he said:
"Oh, genteel lady! I don't know what help you can give me: My
soul is in discord with my body, and unless you can cure my
illness I don't care whether I live or die."
"I'll do it tonight," said Plaerdemavida, "if you do as I say."
"Command me, maiden," said Tirant, "and may God increase your
honor. The things you said when the emperor was here, about the
princess and me: who told you to say them?"
"You, and my lady, and the emperor too: You're all thinking the
same thing," said Plaerdemavida. "When he asked me, I gave him
even better reasons why you're worthy of having the princess as a
wife. To what better man could she be given than to you? And he
agrees with everything that I say. I'll tell you why, in strict
confidence: He's in love with me, and he would pull up my chemise
if I'd let him. He's sworn to me on the Bible that if the
empress was dying, he would take me as a wife in a minute. And
he told me: 'As a sign of our pact, let's kiss; this kiss will be
very little, but it's better to have something than nothing.'
And I answered him: 'Now that you are old, you're a lecher. When
you were young, were you virtuous?' Only a few hours ago he gave
me this string of fat pearls, and now he's with his daughter,
asking her if she wants you for a husband. Do you know why I
said that to him? Because if you go to her chamber at night and
it's your bad fortune to cause a commotion, and they try to
charge me with something, I'll have an alibi. I'll say: 'My
lord, I already told Your Majesty. The princess ordered me to
let him in.' And that way no one will be able to say anything.
So that you can see my good will and how much I want to help and
honor your grace, when the emperor is dining, come to me. I
promise to put you in my lady's bed, and in the refreshing night
you'll see how solace comes to those who are in love."
While they were talking, the emperor, knowing that Tirant was in
the duchess' chamber, sent for him, and interrupted their
conversation.
When Tirant held counsel with the emperor, they spoke at length
about war and what things would be needed, and at that time they
were all dressed in readiness for battle. When the dark shadows
of night had fallen, Tirant came to the duchess' chamber, and
while the emperor was with the ladies, Plaerdemavida went into
the chamber very happily, took Tirant by the hand and led him
away. He was dressed in a jacket of red satin, with a cloak over
his shoulders and a sword in his hand. Plaerdemavida put him in
the chamber. A large box was there with a hole she had made so
he could breathe. The bath had been prepared, and it stood in
front of the box. After the ladies had eaten, they danced with
the gallant knights. When they saw that Tirant was not there
they stopped dancing, and the emperor retired to his chamber
while the ladies departed, and left the princess alone with her
ladies-in-waiting in her chamber where Tirant was. Plaerdemavida
opened the box under the pretext of taking out a sheet of
delicate linen for the bath, and she left it slightly open,
putting clothing on top so that none of the other women would see
him. The princess began to take off her clothes, and
Plaerdemavida prepared her seat which had been placed directly in
front so that Tirant could see her clearly.
When she was completely naked Plaerdemavida brought a lighted
candle to give pleasure to Tirant, and looking at all of her body
and everything that was in view, she said:
"In faith, my lady, if Tirant were here and could touch you with
his hands the way I am, I believe he would prefer that to being
made ruler of the kingdom of France."
"Don't believe it," said the princess. "He would rather be king
than touch me the way you are."
"Oh, my lord Tirant! Where are you now? Why aren't you standing
here, nearby, so that you can see and touch the thing you love
most in this world and in the world beyond? Look, my lord
Tirant, here are the locks of my princess; I kiss them in your
name, for you are the best of all knights in the world. Here are
her eyes and her mouth: I kiss them for you. Here are her
crystalline breasts: I hold one in each hand, and I kiss them for
you. See how small, how firm, how white and smooth they are.
Look Tirant, here is her belly, her thighs and her secret place.
Oh, wretched me, if I were a man I would want to spend my last
days here. Oh, Tirant! Where are you now? Why don't you come
to me when I call you so tenderly? Only the hands of Tirant are
worthy to touch where I am touching, and no one else, because
this is a morsel that there is no one who would not like to choke
on."
Tirant was watching all this, and could not have been more
pleased by the fine wit of Plaerdemavida's comments, and he felt
sorely tempted to come out of the box.
When they had been there some time, joking, the princess stepped
into the bath and told Plaerdemavida to remove her clothes and
join her.
"I will, under one condition."
"What's that?" asked the princess.
Plaerdemavida answered:
"That you consent to have Tirant in your bed for one hour while
you're in it."
"Hush! You're mad!" said the princess.
"If you please, my lady, tell me what you would say if Tirant
came here one night without any of us knowing it?"
"What else could I tell him," said the princess, "but beg him to
leave, and if he wouldn't go, I would keep quiet rather than be
defamed."
"In faith, my lady," said Plaerdemavida, "that's what I would do
too."
While they were saying these things, Widow Repose came in, and
the princess begged her to join her in the bath. The Widow
removed all her clothing except her red stockings and a linen hat
on her head; and although she was very pretty and well endowed,
the red stockings and the hat on her head made her so ugly that
she looked like a devil, and it is true that any lady or maiden
you see in that sort of attire will look very ugly to you no
matter how genteel she may be.
When the bath was finished they brought the repast to the
princess, which was a pair of partridges, and then a dozen eggs
with sugar and cinnamon. Afterward she lay down in her bed to
sleep.
The Widow went to her chamber with the other ladies except for
two who slept in the chamber. When they were all asleep,
Plaerdemavida got up from the bed and she led Tirant from the box
in her nightshirt, and made him take off all his clothing,
quietly, so that no one would hear him. And Tirant's heart,
hands and feet were trembling.
"What's this?" said Plaerdemavida. "There's not a man in the
world who is valiant with weapons, but who isn't afraid when he's
with women. In battle there's not a man alive you're afraid of,
and here you tremble at the sight of one lone maiden. Don't
worry, I'll be with you the whole time. I won't leave your
side."
"By the faith I owe our Heavenly Father, I would be happier to
joust ten knights to the death than commit an act like this."
The maiden took him by the hand, and he followed her, trembling,
and said:
"Maiden, all my fear is really shame, because of the extreme good
will that I desire for my lady. I would much rather go back than
continue on when I think that Her Majesty knows nothing about any
of this. When she sees what's happening she will be completely
frightened, and I would rather die than offend Her Majesty."
Plaerdemavida was very angry with Tirant's words, and she said:
"Oh, you faint-hearted knight. Does a maiden frighten you so
much that you're afraid to go near her? Oh, unlucky captain. Do
you have so little courage that you dare say such words to me?
Pluck up your courage.
When the emperor comes, what story will you invent to tell him?
I'll have you discovered, and God and the whole world will know
that you have spoken ill, and let me remind you that this time
you'll lose your honor and your fame. Do what I tell you and
I'll give you a secure life and have you wearing the crown of the
Greek Empire, because the time has come when I can tell you only
one thing: to go quickly and take those steps that will lead you
to the princess."
Seeing the frankness in Plaerdemavida's words, Tirant said:
"Let's go on without delay, I beg you, and let me see that
glorified body. And since there's no light I'll see her only
with the eyes of the imagination."
"I've used great ingenuity to bring you here," said
Plaerdemavida, "so conduct yourself in a proper way."
And she let go his hand. Tirant discovered that Plaerdemavida
had left him, and he did not know where she was because there was
no light in the room. She made him wait half an hour, barefoot,
and in his shirt-sleeves. He called to her as softly as he
could, and she heard him perfectly well but did not answer. When
Plaerdemavida saw that she had made him grow quite cold, she had
pity on him, and going up to him she said:
"That's the way people who aren't in love are punished. How
could you imagine that any lady or maiden of high or low station,
wouldn't want to be loved? Anyone who can go in by honest or
secret roads, by night or by day, through a window, a door or a
roof, is thought of highly. I wouldn't be unhappy if Hippolytus
would do it to me. And I wouldn't be upset if he would take me
by the hair, and drag me through the room, with my consent or
without it, and make me be quiet, and I would let him do anything
he wanted. I would rather know that he's a man. In other things
you should honor, love and serve her; but when you're alone in a
room with her, that's no time to be polite."
"In faith, maiden," said Tirant, "you've pointed out my defects
to me better than any confessor could, no matter how great a
teacher of theology he might be. Take me to my lady's bed
quickly, I beg you."
Plaerdemavida took him there, and made him lie down beside the
princess. The head of the bed did not touch the wall, and when
Tirant was lying down, the maiden told him to be still and not to
move until she said so. Then she stood at the end of the bed,
and she put her head between Tirant and the princess, facing the
princess. Because the sleeves of her blouse bothered her, she
rolled them up, and taking Tirant's hand, she placed it on the
princess' breasts, and he touched her nipples, and her belly, and
below. The princess awoke, and said:
"My heaven, what a bother you are! Can't you let me sleep?"
Plaerdemavida, with her head on the pillow, said:
"Oh! You're a very difficult lady to take. You've just come out
of the bath, and your skin is so smooth and nice that it makes me
feel good just to touch it."
"Touch all you like," said the princess, "but don't put your hand
so far down."
"Go back to sleep," said Plaerdemavida, "and let me touch this
body that's mine, because I'm here in Tirant's place. Oh,
Tirant, you traitor!
Where are you? If you had your hand where I have mine, wouldn't
you be unhappy!"
Tirant had his hand on the princess' belly, and Plaerdemavida had
her hand on Tirant's head, and when she saw that the princess was
asleep, she loosened her grip, and then Tirant touched at will,
and when she was about to wake up, the girl squeezed Tirant's
head, and he stopped. They spent more than an hour at this play,
and he did not cease touching her. When Plaerdemavida saw that
she was deep in sleep she removed her hand completely from
Tirant, and he carefully tried to accomplish his desire. But the
princess began to wake up, and half asleep, she said:
"But what are you doing, you wretched girl? Can't you let me
sleep? Have you gone mad, trying to do what's against your
nature?"
It was not long until she knew that it was more than a woman, and
she refused to surrender to him and began to cry out.
Plaerdemavida covered her mouth and whispered in her ear so that
none of the other girls would hear her:
"Hush, my lady, you don't want to be dishonored. I'm terribly
afraid that the empress will hear you. Be quiet: this is your
knight who is ready to die for you."
"Oh, you wicked girl!" said the princess. "You've had no fear of
me or shame of the world. Without my consent you've put me in a
very bad situation and defamed me."
"What's done is done, my lady," said Plaerdemavida. "It seems to
me that being quiet is the only solution for you and me: it's the
safest thing, and what's best in this case."
Tirant softly pleaded with her as well as he could. She found
herself in a difficult situation, because love was conquering her
on the one hand, and fear on the other, but since fear was
stronger than love, she decided to be still and she said nothing.
When the princess first screamed, Widow Repose heard her, and she
was fully aware that the cause of that scream had been
Plaerdemavida, and that Tirant must be with her. And she thought
that if Tirant was seducing the princess, she couldn't accomplish
her own desire with him. Now everyone was silent and the
princess was not saying a thing, but instead was defending
herself with graceful words so that the pleasant battle would not
come to an end. The Widow sat bolt upright in her bed and cried
out:
"My daughter, what's wrong?"
She woke up all the girls, shrieking loudly and making so much
noise that the empress heard it. They all got up, some entirely
naked and others in their nightshirts, and quickly ran to the
door of the bedchamber which they found closed fast, and they
cried out for a light. At the very moment that they were
pounding on the door and calling for light, Plaerdemavida seized
Tirant by the hair, and pulled him from the place where he would
have liked to end his life. She led him to a small chamber and
made him jump to a rooftop there. Then she gave him a hemp rope
so that he could drop down to the garden and from there could
open the gate. She had it very well prepared so that when he
came he could leave by another door before daybreak. But the
disturbance and the cries of the Widow and the girls were so loud
that she could not let him out the way she had planned, and she
was forced to let him out by the roof. So, giving him the long
rope, she quickly turned and closed the window and then went back
to her lady.
Tirant turned around and tied the rope securely, and in his haste
to leave without being seen or heard, he did not watch carefully
to see whether or not the rope reached the ground. He let
himself slide down the rope which hung more than thirty-five feet
from the ground. He had to let go because his arms could not
hold the weight of his body, and he hit the ground so hard that
he broke his leg.
Let us leave Tirant stretched out on the ground, unable to move.
When Plaerdemavida returned, they brought the light, and all the
women came in with the empress who immediately asked what the
disturbance was and why she had cried out.
"Madam," said the princess, "a huge rat jumped up on my bed and
ran over my face, and I was so frightened that I screamed. He
scratched my face with his claws, and if he had gotten my eye,
you can imagine what damage he would have done!"
Now that scratch had been made by Plaerdemavida when she covered
her mouth so she would not scream. The emperor had gotten up,
and he entered the princess's chamber with his sword in his hand,
and hearing about the rat, he looked through all the rooms. But
the maiden had been discreet: When the empress came in and was
talking to her daughter, she jumped out onto the roof and quickly
removed the rope. She heard Tirant moaning, and immediately
realized that he had fallen, and she went back to the chamber
without saying a word. There was so much noise throughout the
palace, between the guards and the palace officials, that it was
a wonder to hear and to behold; and if the Turks had entered the
city the disturbance would not have been any greater. The
emperor, who was a very discreet man, suspected that this had to
be more than a rat, and he even looked into the coffers. Then he
had all the windows opened, so that if the maiden had not been
quick about removing the rope he would have found it.
When the duke and duchess, who knew what was going on, heard all
the noise, they thought Tirant had been discovered. Imagine how
the duke must have felt, thinking that Tirant was in such a
difficult situation, and that he must have been killed or
imprisoned. He quickly armed himself to help Tirant since he had
his weapons there, and he said:
"Today I'll lose my entire kingdom because Tirant is in such a
bad situation."
"And look at me," said the duchess. "I don't have enough
strength in my hands to put on my blouse."
When the duke was armed he left his room to see what was
happening, and to find out where Tirant was. And as he was going
out he saw the emperor returning to his chamber. The duke asked
him:
"What is it, Sire? What's the cause of this disturbance?"
The emperor answered:
"Those foolish maidens who aren't afraid of anything. According
to what they say, a rat climbed over my daughter's face, and she
says it left a scratch on her cheek. Go back to sleep, you're
not needed here."
The duke went back to his room and told the duchess, and they
were both very relieved that nothing had happened to Tirant.
Then the duke said:
"For the love of Our Lady, I went out of here in such a state
that if the emperor had imprisoned Tirant I would have killed him
and everyone who came to his aid, and then Tirant or I would have
been emperor."
"But it's best that it turned out as it did," said the duchess.
She quickly got up and went to the princess's chamber. When
Plaerdemavida saw her, she said:
"My lady, please, I beg you, stay here, and don't let anyone
speak badly of Tirant. I'll go and see how he is."
When she was out on the roof she did not dare speak for fear that
someone would hear her, and she heard him moaning loudly, and
saying:
"I can feel myself descending toward the dark and gloomy palaces.
And since I cannot restore my miserable life with all my sighs,
I'm content to die, because life without you, dear princess, is
completely unbearable. Oh Lord and eternal God! You who are all
merciful, grant me the grace of dying in the arms of that most
virtuous princess, so that my soul may be more content in the
next world."
At this moment Hippolytus knew nothing about Tirant's actions,
but he was aware of the great uproar in the palace that was
spreading throughout the city. Seeing that Tirant was inside the
palace and that he had told everyone he was sleeping in the
duke's chamber that night, and with the viscount and Hippolytus
knowing about his love for the princess, they had all the men
take up arms. Lord Agramunt said:
"I can only think that Tirant must have done some mischief in the
princess's chamber, and news of it has reached the emperor, and
all of us will take part in the wedding along with him. So we
must prepare ourselves quickly to help him if we have to.
Because in all the nights he's slept here nothing unusual has
happened, and as soon as he's outside you see what a great outcry
there is in the palace."
Hippolytus said:
"While you're arming yourself I'll go to the palace gate to see
what's happening."
"Hurry," said the others.
When they were all outside, the viscount followed Hippolytus.
"My lord," said Hippolytus, "you go to the main gate and I'll go
to the one in the garden. Whoever discovers what is really
happening--what all this noise is about--will go and tell the
other one."
The viscount said he thought that was a good idea. When
Hippolytus was at the gate to the garden, thinking he would find
it locked, he stood, listening, and he heard a mournful voice
crying. It sounded like a woman's voice, and he said to himself:
"I would much rather hear Tirant than this woman's voice, whoever
she is."
He stood, looking to see if he could scale the wall. When he saw
that it was impossible, he went back to the gate with an easy
heart, thinking it must be a woman.
"Let her wail, whoever she is--lady or maiden," said Hippolytus,
"for this has nothing to do with my lord Tirant."
He left and went to the plaza where he found the viscount and
others who wanted to know what had caused the disturbance. But
by now the cries had subsided a great deal, and the disturbance
had been quelled. Then Hippolytus explained to the viscount how
he had been at the garden gate and had not been able to go in,
and that he had heard what seemed to be a woman's voice moaning,
and he did not know who it was, but that he thought the woman was
the cause of all the outcry.
"If it please you, let's go there," said the viscount, "and if
she's a lady or a maiden who needs help, let's give it to her if
we can, because it's our obligation under the 'laws of
chivalry.'"
They went to the garden gate, and heard the loud laments coming
from inside the garden, but they could not understand what was
being said or recognize the voice: with all the pain she was in,
her voice was altered. The viscount said:
"Let's break down the gate. It's night, and no one will know we
did it."
But the gate was unlocked, because during the night, not
imagining that so much harm would be done, Plaerdemavida had left
it that way so that Tirant could open it easily whenever he
liked.
And they both pushed against the gate with all their might, and
it flew open easily. The viscount went in first and walked
toward the voice which sounded so strange.
The viscount said:
"Whoever you are, I beg you in God's name, tell me if you're an
errant spirit or a mortal body who needs help."
Tirant thought it must be the emperor and his men, and so that he
would not be recognized, and they would leave, he disguised his
voice, even though the pain he was in had already disguised it,
and he said:
"In my time I was a baptized Christian, and I am condemned to
wander because of my sins. I am an invisible spirit, and if you
see me, the reason will be that I am taking on form. The evil
spirits here are stripping off my flesh and my bones and throwing
them in the air piece by piece. Oh, what a cruel torture I am
suffering. If you come any closer to me, you will share in my
pain."
They were very frightened when they heard these words, and they
made the sign of the cross and recited the Gospel of Saint John.
The viscount spoke so loudly that Tirant heard him:
"Hippolytus, do you think we should go to our chambers and get
all our armed men and some holy water, and then come back here to
see what this is?"
"No," said Hippolytus, "we don't need to go back to our chambers
for anything. We both have the sign of the cross on our swords:
let me go there."
When Tirant heard the viscount call Hippolytus' name, he said:
"If you are Hippolytus, a native of France, come to me and have
no fear."
Then Hippolytus took out his sword, and holding the handle in
front of him, he made the sign of the cross and said:
"As a true Christian, I fully believe in the articles of the
Catholic faith, and everything that the holy Roman church
teaches: in this holy faith I want to live and die."
He went closer in great fear, but the viscount was even more
afraid, and did not dare to approach. And in a soft voice Tirant
called to him and said:
"Come closer. I am Tirant."
At that he became even more frightened, and was ready to go back.
Tirant saw this, and raising his voice he said:
"Oh, what a cowardly knight you are!"
Hippolytus recognized him when he spoke, and ran up to him and
said:
"Oh, my lord, is it you? What misfortune brought you here?"
"Don't be worried, and don't say anything," said Tirant. "But
who is that with you? If he's of the lineage of Brittany, have
him come here."
"Yes, my lord," said Hippolytus. "It's the viscount."
He called him, and when the viscount saw Tirant he was amazed at
the adventure and at everything he had said to them during the
time they had not recognized him.
"Let's not waste words," said Tirant. "Hurry and take me away
from here."
Together they lifted him in their arms and took him out of the
garden and closed the gate. Then they carried him to his lodging
and lay him under the portico.
"I'm in more pain than I've ever felt before," said Tirant. "Of
all the times I've been wounded and near death, my body has never
felt so much pain. I'll need to have doctors without the emperor
knowing about it."
"My lord," said Hippolytus, "may I give you some advice? You are
so badly hurt that it can't be kept hidden, especially with the
disturbance in the palace. Mount your horse if you can, my lord,
and let's go to the palaces of Bellestar where your horses are.
We'll make everyone think that your horse fell on you and broke
your leg "
The viscount answered:
"It's true, my cousin and lord, Hippolytus is right. Otherwise
the emperor will certainly hear about it. I would be happy if,
after you're cured and we've accomplished our aims, we returned
to our lands."
"My lord viscount," said Tirant, "this is no time to talk about
these things, but you, Hippolytus, have them bring the animals
here secretly, and bring the horse with the smoothest gait."
Let us return to the princess. Plaerdemavida stayed out on the
roof until she saw them carry Tirant away. Then she went into
the room where the princess was with the duchess and all the
ladies. The empress was astonished that there should be such a
great uproar in the palace over a rat, and sitting on her bed she
said:
"Do you know the best thing for us to do, ladies? Since the
palace is calmed down again, let's go back to sleep."
The princess called Plaerdemavida and whispered to her, asking
where Tirant was.
"My lady, he's gone," said Plaerdemavida, "and he's in great
pain."
But she did not dare tell her that he had a broken leg, or what
he had said. She was very pleased that they had not seen or
found him. The empress got up, and Widow Repose said:
"It would be a good idea, my lady, to tell your daughter to sleep
with you, so that if the rat came back it wouldn't frighten her
even more."
The empress answered:
"What the Widow says is true. Come, my child: you will sleep
better with me than by yourself."
"No, my lady. Let Your Excellency go on: the duchess and I will
sleep together. Don't spend a bad night on my account."
The empress said:
"Come with me. I'm getting cold standing here."
"My lady, since you insist," said the princess, "you go on, and
I'll come soon."
The empress left, telling her to come right away. The princess
turned to the Widow and said angrily:
"Now I know how much you're to blame. Who gave you the right to
tell my mother that I should go and sleep with her, and to
deprive me of my pleasure? From what I can see, you don't live
by virtue, but by envy and malice."
The Widow replied
"I'll tell you what I've done wrong. I honored and loved you
more than you liked: that's how I'm to blame. Do you imagine, my
lady, that I have no feelings for Tirant, and that I didn't see
him letting himself down by the rope, and it breaking, and him
falling so hard I think he broke his legs and his ribs?..."
She began to cry miserably, and threw herself to the ground, and
pulled her hair, saying:
"The best of all knights is dead!"
When the princess heard these words, she said three times:
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!"
And she fell to the floor in a faint. She had cried out the name
of Jesus so loudly that the empress, who was in her chamber,
asleep in her bed, heard it. She quickly got up and hurried to
her daughter's chamber. She found her there, unconscious, and
nothing helped to revive her. The emperor had to get up, and all
the doctors came. But still the princess did not regain
consciousness, and three hours passed before she did. The
emperor asked how his daughter had come to such a state. They
told him:
"My lord, she saw another tiny rat, and because her imagination
was dwelling on the one she had seen on her bed, when she saw
this one she suffered a terrible shock."
"Oh, old emperor, sad and embittered! In my last days must I
suffer so much pain? Oh, cruel death! Why don't you come to me
when I want you so?"
When he had said this he lost consciousness and fell in a faint
beside his daughter. The cries and shouts were so great
throughout the whole palace that it was astonishing to see and
hear the laments the people were making: and this disturbance was
greater than the first.
Tirant, standing before the portico waiting for the animals to be
brought, heard such loud cries that he thought the sky was
falling in. He quickly mounted, full of pain and anguish, and
the pain grew as he became fearful that the princess might have
come to some harm. Hippolytus took a cloth and wrapped his leg
so that the cold would not get into it. So, as best they could,
they rode to the gates of the city. The guards recognized Tirant
and asked him where he was going at this hour. He answered that
he was going to Bellestar to look after his horses because he
would soon be leaving for the camp. The gates were quickly
opened for him and Tirant went on his way. When they had ridden
half a league, Tirant said:
"I am deeply afraid that the emperor has done the princess some
harm because of me. I want to go back and help her in case she
needs me."
The viscount said
"In faith, you're in fine condition to help her!"
"My dear viscount," said Tirant, "I feel no pain now! You know
that a greater injury makes a lesser one diminish. I beg you,
please, let's go back to the city so that we can help her in case
she needs us."
"You've lost your mind," said the viscount. "You want to go back
to the city so that the emperor will find out what you've done.
We'll be doing well enough if we can keep this from the people so
that they won't blame you for it. You can be certain that if you
go back you won't escape injury or death if things are the way
you say they are."
"Since I'm the cause of all the trouble," said Tirant, "is it
unreasonable for me to have the punishment? I'll consider my
death worthwhile if I die for such a virtuous lady."
"God help me," said the viscount, "I won't let you go back even
if I have to use force. Isn't the duke there, and if he hears
something that puts the princess in danger or dishonors her,
won't he go and help her? Now you see what sad love-affairs lead
to. Let's not stay here any longer.
The more time we lose, the worse it is for you."
"Since you don't want to let me go back," said Tirant, "do me a
favor. You go, and if anyone harms her, kill them all and show
mercy to no one."
Tirant begged the viscount so much that he had to return to the
city, and as he turned back he said softly so that Tirant didn't
hear, but so Hippolytus could understand:
"By Heaven, I wish I didn't have to concern myself with any lady
or maiden, but only arrange for the doctors to come."
Tirant went on ahead with Hippolytus.