The German Student^ No. XXXI. 



510 



Love invites her 

 Once more to tell him plainly what her heart 

 Desires ; but Shame presses her lips together 

 Wheii she would speak. On one side inur- 



murs Love, 

 ' Now, lady, without apprehension say 

 All that you feel, he'll not a2;ain draw back ; 

 You are so sweetly made in t'orni and face, 

 He were not worthy of the name of knight, 

 If he could a third time decline the oti'er : 

 Venture it now securely.' Shame replies, 

 ' Lady, beware to speak ; the noble Geron 

 So truly and so steadily loves IJanayn, 

 He would not for tiie world be faithless to 



him ; 

 Depend upon if, he withdraws again.' 

 And thus between her prompters she sat still, 

 And they rode on in silence a long while. 



" Meanwhile Sir Geron, on his side, had also 

 No easy struggle to achieve ; as often 

 As on the lady he let fall his eyes, 

 He grew so wishful, that the thought would 



cross him : 

 O but for one full time to press that heart 

 Against his own, he'd give his soul away. 

 To struggle any longer hardly seems 

 E'en possible, or fair to such a woman. 

 Who is so given to him. All conspires 

 To meet their common wishes; time and 



place, 

 So still, so lonely, can't occur again. 

 But thy friend's wife, thy brother-warrior's. 

 Who holds thee dearer than his very eyes. 

 No, God forbid that such a worthy knight 

 Should be dishonour'd by the man he trusts, 

 Against whose conduct he would ne'er 



permit / 



The least suspicion 'to shoot cross his soul. 

 How could'st thou ever in thy life auain 

 Bear but to meet his eye-beam, or the look 

 Of any other man, who feels for honour ; 

 How bear thyself wiili such a loaded con- 

 science? 

 "In this turmoil of thought he jonrney'd on, 

 Kiding behind her; yet he could not help 

 Each now and then to cast his eyes upon her, 

 And aye, the oftener he beheld, the more 

 Her beauty seein'il embellish'd. Twice or 



thrice 

 'Twas on his tongue to tell her so, had shame 

 Not shut his mouth. 



At length the lady fair, 

 Her bosom wanted to exhale its feelings, 

 Began to parley with Sir Geron, saying, 

 ' God send yon good adventures : my dear sir, 

 Inform me what of all things in the world 

 Best prompts a knight to deeds of bravery 

 And lofty courage:" 



Geron thus replied, 

 ' True love, fair lady. Such a force hath 



love. 

 That it can make a daring man of cowards.' 



* If it be so,' the lady reconimenc'd, 



* Luve must indeed possess a mighty power.' 

 ' Yes, truly,' said Sir Geron, 'so it does ; 

 And, lady, know, I should not now, nor ever 

 In all my life have been the man Sir Lak 



[Jul> 1, 



Felt me to be this day, bad not my arm 

 Deriv'd its Btrength from love. Nor wonid 



Sir Lak, 

 Tho' one of the best knights, have had tlie 



power 

 To drive to flight the six and-twenty rideis 

 From Maloane, had love not stcel'd his arm.' 

 ' How,' said the lady, ' from your speech it 



seems 

 Yon too have felt the mightiness of love.' 

 ' Lady, you speak the trnih,' replied the 



knight; 

 ' And I esteem myself a lucky man. 

 That I can truly boast my heart is bound 

 Unto the fairest woiii;ui m the world; 

 And only tlierefore I accomplish what 

 I else should not attempt. BclievC me, lady, 

 If 'twere not for the mi^-litiness of love, 

 I should not in this touiney have perforiu'd 

 What you beheld. To love, and to my lady, 

 I am beholden for my every deed.' 



" The noble dame of Maloane, when thus 

 She heard her hero speak, was inl^ plcas'd ; 

 For her heart said to her, If Geron loves, 

 He must love thee, and not another womun. 

 And, when he ceas'd to speak, the' took the 



word, 

 And said, ' My sir, God send you good ad- 

 ventures ! 

 i)Ut tell me, without jesting, who the lady 

 May bu, who seems to you the fairest woman 

 Of all the dames on earth, and is the dearest.' 

 ' So help me God,' replied he, ' but the fairest 

 And deal est woman on the face of earth 

 To me, is no one othc r than yourself. 

 And this your own heart must alieady tell you 

 Is naked truth. Yes, my dear lady, yon 

 yVre she I love, as none e'er lov'd before.' 



" ' Sir,' said the dame again, ' what must I 



think 

 Of this strange speech ? \''on cannot be in 



earnest. 

 And are but watching my too ready answer 

 To make a game of me. It is not long 

 Since, I too well remember the occasion, 

 When I said to you what you say to me. 

 And you a little harshly put me by. 

 And would you now jiersuade me, that you 



love 

 So wholly me. My dear good sir, w hat would 



you 

 Have me believe?" 



' My dearest lady,' said 

 Sir Geron then, 'for God's sake, do not 



give me 

 Such speeches any more. If I was then 

 Foolish and blind, don't punish me jnst now ; 

 Accept me for your knight, and be assui-'d, 

 Queen of my heart, there is no love more 



heartfelt 

 In all the world than mine.' 



The dame of Maloane 

 Glow'd with such glee to hear her knight 



talk thus; 

 It seem'd to her, as were she listening still, 

 When he had ceas'd to speak. She doubts 



no longer 



Aught 



