The White Knight: Tirant Lo Blanc

se the door. When she was in her tunic she went up to the treasure tower with two maidens. There the three of them weighed out a load of ducats. The princess gave them to Plaerdemavida to carry to

h that there is no part of my body

t ans

or me that my hands hav

mpero

wo talking abou

ould be jousts at this celebration. He told me there would no

s I could possibly he

ll enough to be

hen the celebration is over, I will take t

hings until Plaerdema

the emperor began to

o Plaerdemavida to as

answ

you: you are the most disloyal, unworthy knight who was ever born. And that you can't deny. If I were a knight, I would fight you. You were in bed with a maiden in your arms-the most beautiful, most pleasing, the worthiest lady who ever lived-and you shouldn't have left her just because she begged you to or because she shed tears. And if she went there a virgin, I saw her leave a virgin-to your shame and confusion. The great error you committed will hurt me al

nd all the maidens waited on him. And there was no knight or lady who dared approach to serve him, because they were all in their seats waiting to hear what an old knight who was very experienced in arms would say. He was a very eloquent and great reader who began to recite

stivities. These festivities lasted almost the whole night through, and the emperor did not want to leave until dawn. The princess was never bored at the celebra

certainly more enjoyabl

da quickly

rds are fine, but

m to escort Tirant to his chambers. Tirant thanked him for the great honor he was paying him,

e letter, but when he went into his room he saw a heap of gold on the floor. He was astonished at the princess's great virtue,

l after dinner. After eating they told the emperor that since he had slept so little the night before he should go and rest, and that when

xpress all the words of love that befit the works

ot dare to speak much because the emper

help you, who are my lord, whom would I help? What I do now is little, if you consider what I plan

emained outside. She stood at the head of the stairs, waiting for Tirant. With her feminine malice she was prepared to commit an unsp

pity I have for your grace, I want to help you. So, my lord Tirant, if you'd like to be in a

come, she went looking for Tirant secretly, and she made him swear at length, and then disguise himself. Then they went to the old lady's chambers. In the chamber was a small window overlooking the garden, and through it a person could see everything that went on in the garden; but

he room, she went quickly to the palace, and found th

et out of your bed and not to sleep so long. After you stayed up so late last night, and h

she would not sleep, and the princess permitte

letely unbuttoned, no kerchief over her breast, and her hair

there with some games so that your drowsiness will pass. I have a costume for the festival of Corpus Christi that looks lik

y. He saw the princess coming with the maidens, and watched as they sat down near a small stream. The Widow had f

He began to dig, and soon approached the princess. He sat at her side, and took her hands and kissed them. Then he put his hands on her breasts and touched her nipples, and made overtures of love. The princess broke into great peals of laughter, and all her weariness left her. Then he dre

nted to get up to the window to find out if he could see more, and to discover how those games would end, and he saw that there was no ladder, because the Widow had been afraid that he might do this and she had hidden it. Tirant, finding no other recourse, took the bench from in front of the bed and stood it up. Then, taking a cord that he cut from the curtains, he passed it over a beam and pulled himself up by it. He saw how the black gardener had taken the princess by

r the prince

ut the rag under her skirts. And the princess' naivete played into the hands of the Widow's malice. When Tir

dishonored by a man of the most vile condition and nature that could be found. Oh, princess, my lady! I would never have believe

had waited a short time at the door, and

gs I have begun a

uing his lamentations. She sat down near him to see if Tirant wanted to say anything to her, and rea

or threaten her. Her only desire is to satisfy her lust. What can I do, poor me? With th

ile, pretending that with her lamentations sh

anger and many tears, I revealed those thoughts that ran through my mind almost every day. But at night, alone

quickly

time I have reached the highest peak of love that fortune could grant me, and the next day I have been the most confused and downtrodden lover in the entire world. My eyes have seen a black Moor easily poss

as though to leave, and

e my life so much that I would not want anyone to see you leaving

of the house and quickly took off her clothing and dressed in a perfumed blouse, and a skirt of black velvet. With her b

e in any woman? It would be more to your glory to have me always in your chambers or in your tents, serving you in every way that I can, th

ive an answer to anything you've said. I can only tell you that I co

idow

e, at least let me lie next to

her tunic, which was

in her chemise, he l

ent back to his quar

w was left w

. As secretly as he could he went in disguise to the garden gate, and in the orchard he found the black gardener who had arrived only shortly before. He saw him in the doorway of his room, putting on a pair of red pants. When Tirant saw him, he looked arou

lady. Tell me, pitiless maiden, was my disposition less agreeable to your desires than this black

dies, was getting ready for the celebration. At this moment a message arrived, tellin

eleased. They often fought, and many men from both sides died. But for every ten Christians who died, three hundred Turks died. The reason for this was that when the Turks came into the city

e. Further on, a league from where the Turks were, was a large section of a toppled wall where there was no one. All the Moorish soldiers went there at night. The foot soldiers stayed in that deserted place while those on hors

arly noon, the Turks found themselves too tightly pressed, and they abandoned their tools and took flight. The Christians quickly went to the pass half a league away, and there was so much water there that they could not cross it except at great effort and danger. Then, when they did make their way across, the

t know what kind of an ambush may be in store for us: the e

other captain, was very envi

re you are telling us about the danger we could run into. Turn back

, and have them start fighting among themselves. So he tried to ho

ed in battle? I, the Duke of Macedonia, am known as a conqueror, while the D

ade them stop. Some wanted to advance and others to retreat. B

me with me or go bac

hey had no other arms. While they were doing this, the forces of the sultan and the Turk came out, some through one gate and some through another, and they caught them in the middle. There was a great slaughter, and they captured many of t

the hall waiting for the ladies to come so the

presence of all wh

scratch your faces, dress in mourning! For the flower

e that it soon spread throughout the city. And the

s and show him the letters he had received. When the cha

to a black Moor, the enemy of our faith. Would that I had never seen such a thing-the woman I loved most in the world and

but he could not make out the words because the door was

eror is calling you a

in returned to the

ut the terrible things that have happ

er. When he saw her like this, he could not help but exclaim, "Why are you allowing this lady to die withou

ncess. Then he turned and saw the empress who had torn all the veils from her head. At another side he saw the emperor sitting on the f

se than I

s regained consciousness. She opened her eyes, and begged Tirant

be taken from this world until the day that all the dukes, counts and

detail about the destruction, and about the terrible argument between the Duke of Macedonia and the Duke of Pera, and how five thou

unsel. Find comfort in a cruel prison, thinking that you will never ag

ing from his eyes, his head in his hands. When the princess saw how he

s life. She has fainted three time

e doctor say these w

u to come to me first, instead of letting me see her die? Ev

, and it broke again, and was even worse than before. Blood came out of his nose and his ears, and especially fro

who is not dead or being held prisoner. But this is my consolation, because t

rant when he saw his daughter

n't know which of

othing and treated his leg, straightening it a little. And he was completely unaware of everything they did for him, because he w

you know what a great

d anything to eat. Your body can't hold up that way,

ng that will bring m

I want on

d the princess overheard, for she had now

ow the pri

ytus a

lord. She's r

deal, but now I don't think she will brag much about them. She's not the first to do this, nor will she be the las

him how he was. But he did not want to answer anyone. They were all astonished that he had not answe

ents, and my pain was the sight of a black Moor. Outside of You, Lord, who can compare with my love? Lord, Your Holy Mother, and Our Lady, suffered great pain

th the cardinal and many other clergymen, and they were a

lling him. The doctors ordered many things for him, but they did not help. He

shouting and go into his chambers and beat their swords against their shields. When he wakes up and sees so many armed men and hears them shouting, and he asks what is happening,

men and explained what the Jewess had advised.

t Tirant heard it even before they came into his chamber

e are your enemies, the Turks, at the gates to the

the old lady say

hat the Turks

than you think," said

d you'll see what th

He was so ready and willing to fight that his illness went almost entirely away. The emperor and the doctor who were there told him to take some restoratives, and that wou

livered me from the arms of death

dows to see what had happened. When Tirant was in front of the princess's window he lifted his head and put both hands over his face. The empress asked her daughter

ould to make Tirant dismount, telling him he would be given everything he needed in the palace, but Tirant insisted on leaving. The princess wondered why Tir

Lord Agramunt and Hippolytus. He begged them to arm and provision ten gall

t was evening and the doctors had left, they told the emperor that Tirant was all right. When it was nearly the hour for prayer, the princess, upset that she did not see Tirant, asked Plaer

ant ladies are coming with a

t, "and tell them I am all

as told, for Tirant di

e emperor went to Tirant's lodging, and when Tirant heard that the emperor was coming he gave two pages inst

ot rested for so many days that he is catching up on all the rest he needs now. He is near

with a wet cloth and pretended to be asleep. The doct

ken him now. Why doesn't Your Highness go now. T

When Tirant knew that they had all gone, he quickly got up and had all his clothing gathered and taken to the gal

ng the signal for the men to go on board. Tirant sent Lord Agramunt to the emper

he port of Transimeno. He will go by ship to the castle of Malvei while the soldiers go

eror an

o Divine Goodness for bringing health to our captain so that he can leave

cially the princess because Tirant was going without a word to her. They quickly went to the emperor's chamber to see if it was true that they were leaving, and the emperor told them everything. The princess urged the emperor to go to the water's edge so that she could go alo

ve gone too and talked with Tirant. By now the sea was so choppy that the women were not allowed on board, nor would her father have given his permission. The princess, sighing deeply, and with tears streaming from her eyes, had no recourse other than to beg Plaerdemavi

who were with him. The pain that the empress felt as she saw Hippolytus going on board the galley cannot be d

e in the world, without so much as telling her goodbye! If you want her life to be sad and to hasten her death, don't go b

oak around herself, and moaned softly but would say no more. Tirant wanted to reply to

hamber. When they came back out Widow Repose knelt down at her feet and put a silk scarf high under her skirt. Painful thoughts attacked my mind when I saw how he treated her. I don't know why I didn't kill someone right then, but the wall was in my way. But I could not take the terrible jealousy of the black gardener out of my mind, and I cut throu

black gardener had been killed, and no one would know who did it unless she told them, sh

incess. Widow Repose got some costumes from the plays for the

m everything th

and said he could not believe i

es to my room. Under my bed he will find all the clothing of the black ga

. They threw a rope to the ship and tied the clothing of the black gardener to it so that it could be pulled up to the galley. When Tirant saw the mask and the clothing, he saw all the wickedness of Widow Repose. He then swore in everyone's presence that if he could go on land just then, he would

s broke, and they were swept out to sea. Two of the galleys remained there; the people on them were saved, but the ships were lost. The three galleys that found themselves in the middle of the tempestuous sea had their masts broken and their sails torn apart. A gust of wind threw one of the galleys into

udly. Tirant heard the great cries the sailors were making, and he saw the galley's boatswain, who was the best of all the sailors, commend

e galley: the boatswain is dead, and all the men see that they are very near death, and are fainting. Do everything you can to make t

ed his head

eas are

is. And because you are a virtuous man I'm sorrier for you than I am for myself. It is Fortune's will that we

he had, and he dressed in it. He took a sack containing a thousand ducats, and put a note inside that said: "I beg whomsoever should find my body

d death drew near. As they were near land the Moors saw the galley approaching, and they realized that it would ru

sailor tied it across her breasts while the other man helped her stand up. The sea sent a wave crashing into Plaerdemavida and the sailors, and hurled them about. The man carrying the plank drowned in order to save her. The other sailor helped the maiden as long as he could, and finally was forced to abandon her. It was her good fortune to find herself near land at night, and she could hear the loud noise the Moors were making as they captured the Christians. The maiden's feet touched bottom, and since she was all alone she stopped and decided not to go ashore. Instead she