and started and sighed, then she has looked in her heart to see
who and of what worth was he for whose sake Love was torturing
her. And when she has recalled each wandering thought, then she
stretches herself and turns over; and turning, she turns to folly
all the thinking she has done. Then she starts on another
argument and says: "Fool! What does it matter to me if this youth
is debonair and wise and courteous and valiant! All this is
honour and advantage to him. And what care I for his beauty? Let
his beauty depart with him--and so it will, for all I can do;
never would I wish to take away aught of it. Take away? Nay,
truly, that do I not assuredly. If he had the wisdom of Solomon,
and if Nature had put so much beauty in him that she could not
have put more in a human body, and if God had put in my hand the
power to destroy all, I would not seek to anger him; but
willingly if I could would I make him more wise and more
beautiful. Faith! then, I do not hate him at all. And am I then
on that account his lady? No, indeed, no more than I am
another's. And wherefore do I think more of him if he does not
please me more than another? I know not: I am all bewildered, for
never did I think so much about any man living in the world. And
if I had my wish I should see him always; never would I seek to
take my eyes off him so much the sight of him delights me. Is
this love? Methinks it is. Never should I have called on him so
often if I had not loved him more than another. Yes, I love him:
let that be granted. And shall I not have my desire? Yes,
provided that I find favour in his eyes. This desire is wrong;
but Love has taken such hold of me that I am foolish and dazed
and to defend myself avails me nought herein; thus I must suffer
Love's attack. I have indeed guarded myself thus wisely and for
long against Love; never once before did I wish to do aught for