THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
to do whatever pleases you and is honorable to you and your father, even to the death.” She asked
him: “How old are you?” He replied: “I am sixteen, my lady.” And she answered: “I am almost
fourteen.” And she was so beautiful that she had no equal. At last the ladies said, “Let us go to
dinner.” Water was brought for their hands, and Bevis held the water-basin for Drusiana, and she
splashed a little water in his face, whereat Bevis grew embarrassed and bowed down. Then Drusiana
said, “It is certain that you are a very proper miller’s son who, when a damsel splashes some water in
his face, will not splash all the water in his basin back in hers!” At this all the ladies laughed and she
went in to dinner.
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When Drusiana was seated at table along with all the other ladies, her eyes were ever fixed on Bevis’
face; and she was so smitten by her love, that she could not eat, and was considering how she could
give rest to the ardent flames of love. The more she thought and the more she stared at Bevis, the
more inflamed she grew. She considered how she might at least kiss him, and as she was thinking
she saw that the tablecloths reached to the ground all around, since it was more proper for the ladies
not to be seen from beneath the table.
She let fall her knife and bent down and, pretending to be unable to reach it, said: “Augustine, hand
me that knife.” Bevis bent down, and when he was beneath the table, she said: “Look, here it is!”
and took him by the hair and chin and kissed him and took up the knife and sat back up. Bevis
returned from under the table with all his color changed by shame; and Drusiana, all burning with
love, had similarly changed color. At this she sighed and said, “Ladies, you must pardon me, for I
feel utterly changed.” One of the ladies said, “You speak truly, as is plain by your face.” They
wished to escort her, but she asked them to stay seated, and said: “Augustine, why don’t you come