Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 26
XXVI
The Lover loud to Danger cries
For mercy, and with flattery plies
His rugged soul, till thus he gains
The boon wherefor he spends his pains.
Toward Danger then once more I came
With timid step, affecting shame,
But ventured not to pass the bound
That hedged the precious Rose-tree round.
Humility before Danger
I found him standing bolt upright
In seeming rage, and ready dight,
His gnarled and knotted club. Then I,
With humble mien and downcast eye,3300
Approached him, and exclaimed: “O Sire,
I pray you humbly, let the ire
You well may feel against me die,
Seeing that now, most abjectly,
I crave your pardon, and would do
Whate’er your will should set me to,
As act of penance. Love it is
Who rules my heart, and he, ywis,
My trespass caused.
My mastering thought
Is this, that through all time I nought3310
May anger you, and direst pain
Would suffer ere that I again
Incurred your wrath, wherefore to me
Extend, I pray, your clemency,
Who have your fear before mine eyes
Unceasingly, and in such wise
To you will render service due
As ne’er shall give you cause to rue
Free grant of pardon, noble sir,
To your devoted worshipper.3320
Suffer that he but once again,
Who of thy fostering hand is fain,
May offer you his love. Your will,
Or small or great, will I fulfil
At risk of life, and faithful be
Past all men call sincerity.
What more to any sovereign lord
Than life and love can man afford?
Nay, for my own full weight in gold
No man for master would I hold3330
But you alone.”
Surly and slow
Was Danger ere he deigned to throw
Aside his wrath, but in the end
Such eloquent words did I expend
To calm him, that I gained his grace.
Danger.
Danger seems to relent
Shortly, quoth he: “Not out of place
Is that thou say’st: no spiteful rage
Consumes my breast, nor will to wage
Hot war against thee. What to me
Is it if thou lov’st fatuously?3340
I feel therefrom nor cold nor heat;
Love then—but suffer not thy feet
To bear thee where my roses grow,
Or thou my club’s full weight shalt know.”
The Lover.
Thuswise, from Danger did I get
Forgiveness, and with swift foot let
My comrade know thereof, who great
And glad rejoicing showed thereat.
The Friend.
“Right well,” quoth he, “goes your affair;
Danger will prove him debonair3350
In your regard; although at first
His way it is to show a curst
And evil spirit, yet his aid
He oft affords to those who’ve paid
Him adulation; many a wight
Gains his goodwill who knows aright
To trim his tongue. Experience proves,
That patience oft his hard heart moves.”
The Lover.
Renewed hope
Rejoiced I greatly, seeing thus
My friend’s kind heart solicitous3360
E’en as mine own, for my content.
I bade adieu to him, and went,
With hurried steps, yet once again
Anigh the hedge, for all heart-fain
Was I once more the Rose to see,
Nought else afforded joy to me.
On all my movements Danger kept
A watch, that never flagged nor slept;
But truth to tell small lust had I
To risk his dread ferocity,3370
And all my thought was how to bate
His dudgeon, and conciliate
His fierceness, but at last despair
Woke in my breast. I did not dare,
Though groaning ’neath the long delay,
Ere yet his wrath might melt away,
To pass the hedge where grew the Rose,
But as I stood beside the close,
The wretch could hear my piteous sighs,
Yet heeded nought, though in such wise3380
He saw me as must plainly tell
That Love’s thrall bowed my soul to hell.
And, though he nought could challenge me
Of treasonous plot or treachery.
He yet such cruel despite nursed
And fostered in his soul accurst.
That nought could soften, shake, or melt
His heart for all the woes I felt.