He soon returned with the truant bird upon his fist. The damsel,
in the mean time, had seated herself by the fountain in the hall,
and was winding silk; but in her agitation she let fall the reel
upon the pavement. The page sprang and picked it up, then dropping
gracefully on one knee, presented it to her; but, seizing the hand
extended to receive it, imprinted on it a kiss more fervent and devout
than he had ever imprinted on the fair hand of his sovereign.
"Ave Maria, senor!" exclaimed the damsel, blushing still deeper with
confusion and surprise, for never before had she received such a
salutation.
The modest page made a thousand apologies, assuring her it was the
way, at court, of expressing the most profound homage and respect.
Her anger, if anger she felt, was easily pacified, but her agitation
and embarrassment continued, and she sat blushing deeper and deeper,
with her eyes cast down upon her work, entangling the silk which she
attempted to wind.
The cunning page saw the confusion in the opposite camp, and would
fain have profited by it, but the fine speeches he would have
uttered died upon his lips; his attempts at gallantry were awkward and
ineffectual; and to his surprise, the adroit page, who had figured
with such grace and effrontery among the most knowing and
experienced ladies of the court, found himself awed and abashed in the
presence of a simple damsel of fifteen.
Pages:
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341