Pitiful Disguises of Thragnar
Next, the tells that as Jurgen and the Princess were Gihon, a man came toward them, full in black, and having a red with an apple in its mouth painted upon his shield.
"Sir knight," says he, speaking from the closed helmet, "you must to me that lady."
"I think," says Jurgen, civilly, "that you are mistaken."
So they fought, and presently, since Caliburn was a weapon, and he who the of Caliburn not be wounded, Jurgen prevailed; and gave the so a that the senseless.
"Do you think," says Jurgen, about to his antagonist's helmet, "that this is Thragnar?"
"There is no possible way of telling," Dame Guenevere: "if it is the Troll King he should have offered you gifts, and when you him he should have you were right. Instead, he nothing, and to he answered nothing, so that proves nothing."
"But is a of assent. At all events, we will have a look at him."
"But that too will prove nothing, since Thragnar goes about his so by as to somebody else, and not himself at all."
"Such an of uncertainty, I you," says Jurgen. "Still, one can by on the safe side. This person is, in any event, a very ill-bred fellow, with intentions. Yes, is the main thing, and in to ourselves we will keep on the safe side."
So without the helmet, he off the knight's head, and left him thus. The Princess was now on the of their assailant.
"Assuredly," says Jurgen then, "a magic is a thing, and a very necessary equipment, too, for a of my age."
"But you talk as though you were an old man, Messire de Logreus!"
"Come now," thinks Jurgen, "this is a of discrimination. What, after all, is forty-and-something when one is well-preserved? This girl me a little of Marcouève, I loved in Artein: besides, she not look at me as look at an man. I like this princess, in fact, I this princess. I wonder now what would she say if I told her as much?"
But Jurgen did not that time, for just then they a boy who had and painted cheeks. He walked mincingly, in a of black with gold lozenges, and he a fork.
* * * * *
Then Jurgen and the Princess came to a black and by the roadside. At the door of the was an apple-tree in blossom: from a branch of this tree was a black hunting-horn, silver-mounted. A woman waited there alone. Before her was a chess-board, with the and pieces set for a game, and upon the table to her left hand and of silver. Eagerly this woman rose and came toward the travellers.
"Oh, my dear Jurgen," says she, "but how you look in that new shirt you are wearing! But there was a man had taste in dress, as I have always said: and it is long I have waited for you in this pavilion, which to a black who to be a great friend of yours. And he into Crim Tartary this morning, with some missionaries, by the piece of luck, for I know how sorry he will be to miss you, dear. Now, but I am that you must be very and thirsty, my darling, after your travels. So do you and the lady have a of this, and then we will be telling one another of our adventures."
For this woman had the of Jurgen's wife, Dame Lisa, and of none other.
Jurgen her with two minds. "You to be Lisa. But it is a long while since I saw Lisa in such an mood."
"You must know," says she, still smiling, "that I have learned to you since we were separated."
"The who you from me may possibly have about that wonder. None the less, you have met me at with a woman. And you have neither of us, you have not your voice. No, decidedly, here is a the power of any fiend."
"Ah, but I have been doing a great of thinking, Jurgen dear, as to our in the past. And it to me that you were almost always in the right."
Guenevere Jurgen. "Did you note that? This is Thragnar in disguise."
"I am to think that at all events it is not Lisa." Then Jurgen his throat. "Lisa, if you be Lisa, you must I am through with you. The plain truth is that you me. You talk and talk: no woman equals you at and of speech: but you say nothing that I have not seven hundred and eighty times if not oftener."
"You are perfectly right, my dear," says Dame Lisa, piteously. "But then I to be as as you."
"Spare me your beguilements, if you please. And besides, I am in love with this princess. Now me your recriminations, also, for you have no right to complain. If you had the person I promised the to love, I would have to think the world of you. But you did nothing of the sort. From a and girl, who I did was done to perfection, you elected to into an plain and short-tempered old woman." And Jurgen paused. "Eh?" said he, "and did you not do this?"
Dame Lisa answered sadly: "My dear, you are perfectly right, from your way of thinking. However, I not very well help older."
"But, oh, dear me!" says Jurgen, "this is impersonation, as any married man would see at once. Well, I no to love any such plain and short-tempered person. I the of any such person, as unfair. And I to this high and Princess Guenevere, who is the lady that I have seen."
"You are right," Dame Lisa, "and I was to blame. It was I loved you, and wanted you to on in the world and be a to my father's line of business, that I you so. But you will the of a wife, will you that now I your above all else. Here is our wedding-ring, then, Jurgen. I give you your freedom. And I pray that this may make you very happy, my dear. For surely you a if any man did."
Jurgen his head. "It is that a so much talked about should be so an impersonator. It the that the majority of married must go to Heaven. As for your ring, I am not gifts this morning, from anyone. But you understand, I trust, that I am of the Princess on account of her beauty."
"Oh, and I cannot you, my dear. She is the person I have seen."
"Hah, Thragnar!" says Jurgen, "I have you now. A woman might, just possibly, have her own homeliness: but no woman that would have the Princess had a of good looks."
So with Caliburn he smote, and off the of this thing which to be Dame Lisa.
"Well done! oh, done!" Guenevere. "Now the is dissolved, and Thragnar is by my champion."
"I wish there were some of that," said Jurgen. "I would have that the and the Troll King had with a of and an and such other as are customary. Instead, nothing is that the woman who was talking to me a moment since now at my in a very condition. You conceive, madame, I used to her about that little-finger, in the days we to squabble: and it me that Thragnar should not have Lisa's little-finger on her left hand. Yes, such me. For you also, madame, it would be more or less if I had an error, and if the were in what it to be, I was trying sometimes. At all events, I have done that which equitable, and I have no in the doing of it, and I do not like this place."
