THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
lords continued to whisper, Bevis heard some of their words and asked Thierry of the Castle: “What
are these gentlemen saying?” Thierry replied; “My lord, they are saying that these youngsters look
like you, and he most of all who is carving before you.” Bevis exclaimed: “Ah my brother Thierry,
would God it were so!” And he turned to Guy, who was the elder, saying: “Do you have a father?”
He replied: “Yes, my lord, and may God protect him!” And he asked: “What is your father’s name?”
Guy answered as Drusiana had instructed him: “His name is Bevis of Hampton, son to Guy of
Hampton,” and blushed and began to weep. Bevis turned color and asked Sinibald: “Do you have a
father?” “Yes,” he answered, even as Guy had said. Bevis said: “What are your names?” Guy
answered: “My name is Guy, and his is Sinibald, and we were born in the wilderness of Apollonia,
and you are our father, and she who is sitting here is Drusiana, our mother.”
Then all the noblemen rose and ladies rose from their seats, and Drusiana removed the veil from her
face and ran toward Bevis. He also ran toward her and embraced her and kissed her, and despite the
long time that he had been without her, he beheld her, in her splendid garments, even as he used to
know her. He recognized her and embraced her. There was such great weeping for joy that no
language could describe it.
Drusiana fainted and was sustained by Bevis, and her companions embraced her. But all the ladies
of Hampton, especially those of Sinibald of the Castle and of Rupert of the Cross, and of many
others, escorted her to Bevis’ chamber. And he turned toward his sons with great tenderness, and
they went on their knees before him, saying: “O father of ours, above all things we commend our
mother to you, who has taken such great pains to raise us at the court of King Armin of Armenia,
ever unknown. And we never knew who our father was until we arrived here in Hampton.”