Free Arthurian Romances by Chrétien de Troyes Page B

was nothing. Her face and forehead were fairer and brighter than the lily-flower; contrasting marvellously with the whiteness, her face was illuminated by a fresh, glowing colour that Nature had given her. Her eyes glowed with such brightness that they resembled two stars; never had God made finer nose, mouth, nor eyes. What should I say of her beauty? She was truly one who was made to be looked at, for one might gaze at her just as one gazes into a mirror.
    She had come out of the workshop. When she saw the knight, whom she had never seen before, she stayed back a bit because she did not know him; she was embarrassed and blushed. Erec, on the other hand, was astonished when he saw such great beauty. And the vavasour said to her: ‘Fair sweet daughter, take this horse and lead it into the stable with mine. Be sure it has everything it needs: take off the saddle and bridle, and give it oats and hay; rub it down and curry it so that it is well cared for.’
    The maiden took the horse, undid the breast-strap, and removed the saddle and bridle. Now the horse was in good hands; she took excellent care of it. She put a halter on it, curried it well, rubbed it down and cared for it, tethered it to the manger and put hay and fresh, wholesome oats before it.Then she came back to her father and he said to her: ‘My dear daughter, take this lord by the hand and show him very great honour. Lead him upstairs by the hand.’
    The maiden delayed no longer, for she was in no way ill-bred: by the hand she led him upstairs. The lady had gone before and prepared the house; she had spread out embroidered quilts and rugs on top of the beds, where all three of them sat down. Erec had the maiden next to him and the lord on the other side. Before them the fire burned very brightly. The vavasour had no servant besides the one who served him – no chambermaid or serving-girl; in the kitchen, the servant was preparing meat and fowl for the evening meal. He was very prompt in his preparations; he knew well how to prepare and quickly cook meat, both boiled and roasted. When he had prepared the meal as he had been ordered, he brought water in two basins to them. Tables and tablecloths were prepared and set out with bread and wine, and everyone sat down to eat. They had as much as they wanted of everything they needed.
    When they had dined at their ease and had arisen from the tables, Erec questioned his host, the lord of the house. ‘Tell me, good host,’ said he, ‘why is your daughter, who is so lovely and full of good sense, dressed in such a poor and unseemly dress?’
    â€˜Good friend,’ said the vavasour, ‘poverty ill-treats many men, and likewise she does me. It grieves me when I see my daughter so poorly dressed, yet I am powerless to change the situation: I have spent so much time at war that I have lost all my land, and mortgaged and sold it. And yet she would be well clothed if I allowed her to accept what someone would gladly give her. The lord of this town himself would have clothed her handsomely and granted her every wish, for she is his niece and he is a count; nor is there a lord in all this land, however grand his reputation, who would not have taken her for his wife, and gladly, according to my conditions. But I am still waiting for a better opportunity, for God to grant her greater honour and for fortune to bring to her a king or count who will take her away with him. Is there in all the world a king or count who would be ashamed of my daughter, who is so wonderfully beautiful that her equal cannot be found? Indeed, though beautiful, her good sense is worth even more than her beauty; God never made such a wise creature nor one so noble in spirit. When I have my daughter near me, I would not give a marble for the whole world: she is my delight, she is my diversion, she is my solace and my comfort, she is my wealth and my treasure. I love nothing else as much as her.’
    When Erec had