Then Felice kissed her knight and answered, "Right nobly have you won my
love and worship, brave Sir Guy. You are more than my peer; you are
become my sovereign; and my love pays willing homage to its lord. But
for this same cause I will not wed you yet. I will not have men point at
me and say, 'There is a woman who for selfish love's sake, wedded the
knight of most renown in Christendom ere yet he did his bravest
deeds-drew him from his level to her own-made him lay by his sword and
spear for the slothful pleasures of a wedded life, and dwarfed a brave
man down to a soft gentleman.' Nay, dear one, I can wait, and very
proudly, knowing myself your chiefest prize. But seek not to possess the
prize too soon, lest your strivings for renown, being aimless, should
wax feeble. It is because I love you that I hold your fame far dearer
than my love. Go rather forth again, travel through heathen lands,
defend the weak against the strong; go, battle for the right, show
yourself the matchless knight you are; and God and my love go with
thee."

Then Sir Guy got him ready for his new quest. Earl Rohand tried to
persuade him to remain at home, as likewise did his father Segard; and
his mother, weeping, prayed him stay. She said, "Another year it may not
fare so well with thee, my son. Leave well alone. Felice is cold and
proud and cares not for thee, else she would not risk thy life again.
What is it to her? If thou wert slain she would get another lover; we
have no more sons."

Yet would not Sir Guy be turned from his purpose, but embarked with his
companions, Sir Heraud, Sir Thorold, and Sir Urry, for Flanders. Thence
he rode through Spain, Germany, and Lombardy, and bore away the prize at
every tournament. But coming into Italy, he got a bad wound jousting at