believe　the　actual　truth　of　the　matter。　Who　would　believe　then　as
  regards　your　uncle　that　I　have　gone　off　and　escaped　from　him
  still　a　maid；　but　a　maid　to　no　purpose？　Folk　would　hold　me　a
  light…of…love　and　a　wanton；　and　you　a　madman。　But　it　is　meet　to
  keep　and　observe　the　command　of　St。　Paul；　for　St。　Paul　teaches
  him　who　does　not　wish　to　remain　continent　to　act　so　wisely　that
  he　may　never　incur　outcry　nor　blame　nor　reproach。　It　is　well　to
  stop　an　evil　mouth；　and　this　I　think　I　can　fully　accomplish；　if
  it　be　not　too　grievous　for　you；　for　if　I　act　as　my　thought
  suggests　to　me；　I　will　pretend　to　be　dead。　I　will　shortly　feign
  sickness；　and　do　you　on　your　side　lavish　your　pains　to　provide
  for　my　tomb。　Set　your　attention　and　care　on　this；　that　both　tomb
  and　bier　be　made　in　such　fashion　that　I　die　not　there　nor
  suffocate；　and　let　no　one　perceive　you　that　night　when　you　will
  be　ready　to　take　me　away。　And　you　will　find　me　a　refuge；　such
  that　never　any　save　you　may　see　me；　and　let　no　one　provide　me
  with　anything　of　which　I　have　need　or　requirement；　save　you　to
  whom　I　grant　and　give　myself。　Never　in　all　my　life　do　I　seek　to
  be　served　by　any　other　man。　You　will　be　my　lord　and　my　servant；
  good　will　be　to　me　whatsoever　you　will　do　to　me；　nor　shall　I　ever
  be　lady　of　the　empire；　if　you　be　not　lord　of　it。　A　poor；　dark；
  and　sordid　place　will　be　to　me　more　splendid　than　all　these
  halls；　when　you　shall　be　together　with　me。　If　I　have　you　and　see
  you；　I　shall　be　lady　of　all　the　wealth　in　the　world；　and　the
  whole　world　will　be　mine。　And　if　the　thing　is　done　wisely；　never
  will　it　be　interpreted　ill；　and　none　will　ever　be　able　to　point
  the　finger　of　scorn　at　me；　for　through　the　whole　empire　folk　will
  believe　that　I　have　rotted　in　the　grave。　And　Thessala；　my　nurse；
  who　has　brought　me　up　and　in　whom　I　have　great　trust；　will　aid　me
  in　good　faith；　for　she　is　very　wise　and　I　have　great　confidence
  in　her。〃　And　Cliges；　when　he　heard　his　love；　replies：　〃Lady；　if
  so　it　can　be；　and　if　you　think　that　your　nurse　is　likely　to
  counsel　you　rightly　in　the　matter；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　make
  preparations　and　to　carry　them　out　speedily；　but　if　we　act　not
  wisely；　we　are　lost　beyond　recovery。　In　this　town　there　is　a
  craftsman　who　carves　and　works　in　wood　wondrous　well；　there　is　no
  land　where　he　is　not　famed　for　the　works　of　art　that　he　has　made
  and　carved　and　shaped。　John　is　his　name；　and　he　is　my　serf。　No
  handicraft　is　there；　however　peculiar　it　be；　in　which　anyone
  could　rival　him；　if　John　set　his　mind　to　it　with　a　will。　For
  compared　with　him　they　are　all　novices　like　a　child　at　nurse。　It
  is　by　imitating　his　works　that　the　inhabitants　of　Antioch　and　of
  Rome　have　learned　to　do　whatever　they　can　accomplish；　and　no　more
  loyal　man　is　known。　But　now　will　I　put　him　to　the　test；　and　if　I
  can　find　loyalty　in　him；　I　will　free　him　and　all　his　heirs；　and　I
  will　not　fail　to　tell　him　our　plan；　if　he　swears　and　vows　to　me
  that　he　will　aid　me　loyally　therein　and　will　never　betray　me　in
  this　matter。〃　She　replies：　〃Now　be　it　so。〃
  By　her　leave　Cliges　came　forth　from　the　chamber　and　departed。　And
  she　sends　for　Thessala；　her　nurse；　whom　she　had　brought　from　the
  land　where　she　was　born。　And　Thessila　came　forthwith；　for　she
  neither　lingers　nor　delays：　but　she　knows　not　why　her　mistress
  sends　for　her。　Fenice　asks　her　in　private　conference　what　she
  counsels　and　what　seems　good　to　her。　She　neither　hides　nor
  conceals　from　Thessala　even　the　smallest　part　of　her　thought。
  〃Nurse；〃　says　she；　〃I　know　well　that　never　a　thing　that　I　tell
  you　will　afterwards　become　known　through　you；　for　I　have　proved
  you　right　well　and　have　found　you　very　wise。　You　have　done　so
  much　for　me　that　I　love　you。　Of　all　my　evils　I　complain　to　you；
  nor　do　I　take　counsel　elsewhere。　You　know　well　why　I　lie　awake
  and　what　I　think　and　what　I　wish。　My　eyes　can　see　nothing　to
  please　me；　save　one　thing；　but　I　shall　have　from　it　neither
  enjoyment　nor　comfort；　if　I　do　not　pay　very　dearly　for　it
  beforehand。　And　yet　I　have　found　my　mate；　for　if　I　desire　him；
  he；　on　his　side；　desires　me　too；　if　I　grieve；　he；　on　his　side；
  grieves　with　my　sorrow　and　my　anguish。　Now　I　must　confess　to　you
  a　thought　and　a　parley；　in　which　we　two　in　solitude　have　resolved
  and　agreed。〃　Then　she　has　told　and　related　to　her　that　she
  intends　to　feign　herself　ill；　and　says　that　she　will　complain　so
  much　that　finally　she　will　appear　dead；　and　Cliges　will　steal　her
  away　in　the　night；　and　they　will　be　always　henceforth　together。
  In　no　other　way；　it　seems　to　her；　could　she　continue　firm　in　her
  resolve。　But　if　she　were　assured　that　Thessala　would　help　her　in
  it；　the　thing　could　be　done　according　to　her　wish；　〃But　too　long
  do　joy　and　good　fortune　for　me　delay　and　tarry。〃　Forthwith　her
  nurse　assures　her　that　she　will　lend　all　her　aid　to　the
  enterprise；　let　her　now　have　neither　fear　nor　dread　in　regard　to
  aught；　and　she　says　she　will　take　so　much　pains　about　the　matter；
  as　soon　as　she　shall　undertake　it；　that　never　will　there　be　any
  man　who　sees　her　who　will　not　believe　quite　surely　that　her　soul
  is　severed　from　the　body；　when　Thessala　shall　have　given　her　a
  drink　that　will　make　her　cold　and　wan　and　pale　and　stiff；　without
  speech　and　without　breath；　and　yet　she　will　be　quite　alive　and
  sound；　and　will　feel　neither　good　nor　ill；　nor　will　she　suffer
  any　harm　during　a　day　and　a　whole　night　in　the　tomb　and　in　the
  bier。
  When　Fenice　had　heard　it；　thus　has　she　spoken　and　replied：
  〃Nurse；　I　put　myself　in　your　care；　I　give　you　free　leave　to　do
  what　you　will　with　me。　I　am　at　your　disposal；　think　for　me；　and
  bid　the　folk　here　that　there　be　none　who　does　not　go　away。　I　am
  ill　and　they　disturb　me。〃　The　nurse　tells　them　courteously：　〃My
  lords；　my　lady　is　unwell　and　wishes　you　all　to　go　away；　for　you
  speak　too　much　and　make　too　much　noise；　and　noise　is　bad　for　her。
  She　will　have　neither　rest　nor　case　as　long　as　you　are　in　this
  room。　Never　heretofore　that　I　remember　had　she　illness　of　which　I
  heard　her　complain　so　much；　so　very　great　and　grievous　is　her
  sickness。　Depart；　and　it　vex　you　not。〃　They　speedily　go；　one　and
  all；　as　soon　as　Thessala　had　commanded　it。　And　Cliges　has　quickly
  sent　for　John　to　his　lodging；　and　has　said　to　him　privily：　〃John；
  knowest　thou　what　I　will　say？　Thou　art　my　serf；　I　am　thy　lord；
  and　I　Can　give　thee　or　sell　thee　and　take　thy　body　and　thy　goods
  as　a　thing　that　is　my　own。　But　if　I　could　trust　thee　concerning
  an　affair　of　mine　that　I　am　thinking　of；　thou　wouldst　for
  evermore　be　free；　and　likewise　the　heirs　which　shall　be　born　of
  thee。〃　John；　who　much　desires　freedom；　forthwith　replies：　〃Sir；〃
  says　he；　〃there　is　no　thing　that　I　would　not　do　wholly　at　your
  will；　provided　that　thereby　I　might　see　myself　free　and　my　wife
  and　children　free。　Tell　me　your　will；　never　will　there　be
  anything　so　grievous　that　it　will　be　toil　or　punishment　to　me；
  nor　will　it　be　any　burden　to　me。　And　were　it　not　so；　yet　it　will
  behove　me　to　do　it　even　against　my　will；　and　set　aside　all　my　own
  business。〃　〃True；　John；　but　it　is　such　a　thing　that　my　mouth　dare
  not　speak　it；　unless　thou　warrant　me　and　swear　to　me；　and　unless
  thou　altogether　assure　me　that　thou　wilt　faithfully　aid　me　and
  will　never　betray　me。〃　〃Willingly；　Sir；〃　quoth　John；　〃never　be
  doubtful　of　that。　For　this　I　swear　you　and　warrant　you　that　as
  long　as　I　shall　be　a　living　man　I　will　never　say　aught　that　I
  think　will　grieve　or　vex　you。〃　〃Ah；　John！　not　even　on　pain　of
  death　is　there　a　man　to　whom　I　should　dare　to　say　that　concerning
  which　I　wish　to　seek　counsel　of　thee；　rather　would　I　let　my　eyes
  be　plucked　out。　Rather　would　I　that　thou　shouldst　kill　me　than
  that　thou　shouldst　say　it　to　any　other　man。　But　I　find　thee　so
  loyal　and　prudent；　that　I　will　tell　thee　what　is　in　my　heart。
  Thou　wilt　accomplish　my　pleasure　well；　as　I　think；　as　regards
  both　thy　aid　and　thy　silence。〃　〃Truly；　Sir！　so　aid　me　God！〃
  Forthwith　Cliges　relates　to　him　and　tells　him　the　enterprise
  quite　openly。　And　when　he　has　disclosed　to　him　the　truth；　as　ye
  know　it　who　have　heard　me　tell　it；　then　John　says　that　he
  promises　him　to　make　the　tomb　well　and　put　therein　his　best
  endeavour；　and　says　that　he　will　take　him　to　see　a　house　of　his
  own　building；　and　he　will　show　him　this　that　he　has　made；　which
  never　any　man；　woman；　or　child　yet　saw；　if　it　pleases　him　to　go
  with　him　there　where　he　is　working　and　painting　and　carving　all
  by　himself　without　any　other　folk。　He　will　show　him　the　fairest
  and　most　beautiful　place　that　he　ever　saw。　Cliges　replies：　〃Let
  us　then　go。〃
  Below　the　town　in　a　sequestered　spot　had　John　built　a　tower；　and
  he　had　toiled　with　great　wisdom。　Thither　has　he　led　Cliges　with
  him；　and　leads　him　over　the　rooms；　which　were　adorned　with　images
  fair　and　finely　painted。　He　shows　him　the　rooms　and　the
  fireplaces；　and　leads　him　up　and　down。　Cliges　sees　the　house　to
  be　lonely；　for　no　one　stays　or　dwells　there。　He　passes　from　one
  room　to　another　till　he　thinks　to　have　seen　all；　and　the　tower
  has　pleased　him　well；　and　he　said　that　it　was　very　beautiful。　The
  lady　will　be　safe　there　all　the　days　that　she　will　live；　for　no
  man　will　ever　know　her　to　be　there。　〃No；　truly；　lord；　she　will
  never　be　known　to　be　here。　But　think　you　to