was　somewhat　cloudy　but　so　beauteous　were　the　twain；　both　the
  maid　and　he；　that　there　shot　forth　from　their　beauty　a　ray　with
  which　the　palace　glowed　again；　just　as　the　sun　shines　bright　and
  ruddy　in　the　morning。
  To　describe　the　beauty　of　Cliges　I　will　limn　you　a　portrait；　the
  traits　of　which　shall　be　very　briefly　told。　He　was　in　the　flower
  of　his　youth；　for　he　was　about　fifteen　years　old。　He　was　fairer
  and　more　comely　than　Narcissus'　who　saw　his　own　reflection　in　the
  fountain　beneath　the　elm；　and　loved　it　so　much　when　he　saw　it
  that　he　diedso　folk　saybecause　he　could　not　have　it。　Much
  beauty　had　he；　and　little　wit；　but　Cliges　had　greater　store　of
  both；　just　as　fine　gold　surpasses　copper；　and　yet　more　than　I　can
  say。　His　hair　seemed　like　fine　gold　and　his　face　a　fresh…blown
  rose。　His　nose　was　well　shaped；　and　his　mouth　beautiful；　and　he
  was　of　great　stature　as　Nature　best　knew　how　to　frame　him；　for　in
  him　alone　she　put　all　at　once　what　she　is　wont　to　dole　out　to
  each　in　portions。　In　framing　him　Nature　was　so　lavish　that　she
  put　everything　into　him　all　at　once　and　gave　him　whatsoever　she
  could。　Such　was　Cliges　who　had　in　him　wisdom　and　beauty；
  generosity　and　strength。　He　had　the　timber　together　with　the
  bark；　and　knew　more　of　fencing　and　of　archery；　of　birds　and　of
  hounds；　than　Tristram；　King　Mark's　nephew；　not　one　grace　was
  lacking　to　Cliges。
  Cliges　in　all　his　beauty　was　standing　before　his　uncle；　and　those
  who　did　not　know　him　were　in　a　fever　to　see　him；　and　also　those
  who　do　not　know　the　maiden　are　eagerly　straining　to　see　her；　all
  look　at　her　with　wonder；　but　Cliges；　in　love；　directs　his　eyes　to
  her　secretly；　and　withdraws　them　so　prudently　that　neither　in　the
  going　or　the　coming　of　the　gaze　can　one　consider　him　a　fool　for
  his　action。　Right　lovingly　he　regards　her；　but　he　does　not　pay
  heed　to　the　fact　that　the　maiden　pays　him　back　in　kind。　In　true
  love　not　in　flattery　he　gives　his　eyes　into　her　keeping；　and
  receives　hers。　Right　good　seems　this　exchange　to　her；　and　it
  would　have　seemed　to　her　far　better　if　she　had　known　somewhat　of
  his　worth。　But　she　knows　no　more　than　that　she　sees　him　fair；　and
  if　she　were　ever　destined　to　love　aught　because　of　the　beauty
  that　she　might　see　in　it；　it　is　not　meet　that　she　should　set　her
  heart　elsewhere。　She　has　set　her　eyes　and　her　heart　there；　and　he
  in　his　turn　has　promised　her　his。　Promised？　Nay；　but　given　for
  good　and　all。　Given？　Nay；　in　faith；　I　lie；　he　has　not；　for　no
  one　can　give　his　heart。　Needs　must　I　say　it　in　a　different
  fashion。　I　will　not　speak　as　they　speak　who　join　two　hearts　in
  one　body；　for　it　is　not　true；　and　has　not　even　the　semblance　of
  truth　to　say　that　one　body　can　have　two　hearts　at　once。　And　even
  if　they　could　come　together　such　a　thing　could　not　be　believed。
  But；　and　it　please　you　to　hearken　to　me；　I　shall　be　able　well　to
  render　you　the　reason　why　two　hearts　blend　in　one　without　coming
  together。　In　so　far　as　only　they　blend　in　one；　the　will　of　each
  passes　from　one　to　the　other；　and　the　twain　have　the　same　desire；
  and　because　they　have　the　same　desire；　there　are　folk　who　are
  wont　to　say　that　each　of　them　possesses　both　the　hearts。　But　one
  heart　is　not　in　two　places。　Well　may　their　desire　be　the　same；
  and　yet　each；　always；　his　own　heart；　just　as　many　different　men
  can　sing　in　harmony　one　song　or　verse；　and　I　prove　to　you　by　this
  parable　that　one　body　cannot　have　two　hearts　because　one　knows
  the　other's　will；　or　because　the　second　knows　what　the　first
  loves　and　what　he　hates。　A　body　cannot　have　more　than　one　heart
  any　more　than　the　voices　which　sing　in　harmony；　so　that　they　seem
  to　be　but　a　single　voice；　can　be　the　voice　of　one　person　alone。
  But　it　profits　me　not　to　dwell　on　this；　for　another　task　demands
  my　care。　Henceforth　I　must　speak　of　the　maiden　and　of　Cliges；　and
  ye　shall　hear　of　the　Duke　of　Saxony　who　has　sent　to　Cologne　a
  nephew　of　his；　a　mere　stripling；　who　discloses　to　the　emperor
  what　his　uncle；　the　duke；　bids　him　deliverthat　the　emperor
  expect　not　from　him　truce　or　peace　if　he　send　not　to　him　his
  daughter；　and　let　not　that　man　feel　confident　on　the　way　who
  thinks　to　take　her　thence　with　him；　for　he　will　not　find　the　way
  void　of　foes；　rather　will　it　be　right　well　defended　against　him
  if　she　is　not　given　up　to　the　duke。
  Well　did　the　stripling　deliver　his　message；　all　without　pride　and
  without　presumption；　but　he　finds　none；　nor　knight　nor　emperor；
  to　reply　to　him。　When　he　saw　that　they　were　all　silent　and　that
  they　did　it　from　contempt；　he　is　for　quitting　the　court
  defiantly。　But　youth　and　audacity　made　him　challenge　Cliges　to
  joust　against　him　ere　he　departed。　They　mount　to　horse　in　order
  to　tilt；　on　both　sides　they　count　three　hundred　so　were　equal　in
  number。　The　whole　palace　is　empty　and　deserted；　for　there　remains
  there　neither　man　nor　woman；　nor　knight　nor　damsel；　who　does　not
  go　and　mount　on　the　palace　roof；　on　to　the　battlements；　and　to
  the　windows；　to　see　and　behold　those　who　were　to　tilt。　Even　the
  princess　has　mounted　thither；　she　whom　Love　had　conquered　and　won
  to　his　will。　She　is　seated　at　a　window　where　she　greatly　delights
  to　sit　because　from　thence　she　can　see　him　whom　she　has　hidden　in
  her　heart；　nor　hath　she　desire　to　take　him　away　from　that
  hiding…place；　for　never　will　she　love　any　save　him。　But　she　knows
  not　what　is　his　name　nor　who　he　is　or　of　what　race　nor　does　it
  become　her　to　ask；　and　yet　she　longs　to　hear　aught　whereat　her
  heart　may　rejoice。　Through　the　window　she　looks　out　on　the
  shields　where　the　gold　shines；　and　on　those　who　carry　them　slung
  round　their　necks；　and　who　take　delight　in　the　jousting；　but　her
  thought　and　her　glance　she　has　wholly　set　in　one　direction；　for
  she　gives　no　thought　to　aught　else。　She　is　eager　to　gaze　on
  Cliges　and　follows　him　with　her　eyes　wherever　he　goes。　And　he；　on
  his　part；　tilts　strenuously　for　her　before　the　eyes　of　all；　only
  that　she　may　hear　that　he　is　valiant　and　very　skilful；　for　in　any
  case　it　would　be　meet　that　she　should　esteem　him　for　his　prowess。
  He　turns　himself　toward　the　nephew　of　the　duke　who　rode　apace；
  breaking　many　lances　and　discomfiting　the　Greeks；　but　Cliges；　who
  is　mightily　vexed　thereat；　presses　with　all　his　weight　on　his
  stirrups；　and　rides　to　strike　him　so　rapidly　that　the　Saxon；　in
  spite　of　himself；　has　voided　his　saddle…bows。　There　was　a　great
  stir　as　he　rose　again。　The　stripling　rises　and　mounts；　and　thinks
  to　avenge　thoroughly　his　shame；　but　many　a　man　thinks　to　avenge
  his　shame　if　he　is　permitted；　who　increases　it。　The　youth　rushes
  towards　Cliges；　and　Cliges　lowers　his　lance　to　meet　him；　and
  attacks　him　with　such　violence　that　he　bears　him　once　more　to　the
  ground。　Now　has　the　youth　redoubled　his　shame；　and　all　his　folk
  are　dismayed　thereat；　for　well　they　see　that　never　will　they
  leave　the　fray　with　honour；　for　none　of　them　is　there　so　valiant；
  that　if　Cliges　comes　attacking　him　he　can　remain　in　his
  saddle…bow　to　meet　him。　Right　glad　thereof　are　they　of　Germany
  and　they　of　Greece　when　they　see　that　their　side　are　sending　the
  Saxons　about　their　business；　for　the　Saxons　depart　as　though
  discomfited；　while　the　others　pursue　them　with　contumely　until
  they　catch　them　up　at　a　stream。　Many　of　the　foe　do　they　plunge
  and　immerse　therein。　Cliges；　in　the　deepest　part　of　the　ford；　has
  thrown　the　duke's　nephew；　and　so　many　others　with　him　；　that　to
  their　shame　and　their　vexation；　they　flee；　mournful　and　sad。　But
  Cliges　returns　with　joy；　bearing　off　the　prize　for　valour　on　both
  sides；　and　he　came　straight　to　a　door　which　was　close　to　the
  place　where　Fenice　was　standing　who　exacts　the　toll　of　a　sweet
  look　as　he　enters　the　door；　a　toll　which　he　pays　her；　for　their
  eyes　have　met。　Thus　has　one　conquered　the　other。
  But　there　is　no　German　whether　of　the　north　or　of　the　south　so
  much　as　able　to　speak　who　does　not　say：　〃God！　who　is　this　in　whom
  so　great　beauty　blooms？　God！　whence　has　the　power　come　to　him　so
  early　that　he　has　won　so　great　distinction？〃　Thus　asks　this　man
  and　that；　〃Who　is　this　youth；　who　is　he？〃　till　throughout　the
  city　they　soon　know　the　truth　of　it；　both　his　name　and　his
  father's；　and　the　promise　which　the　emperor　had　made　and　granted
  to　him。　It　is　already　so　much　told　and　noised　abroad　that　even
  the　maiden　hears　tell　of　it；　who　had　great　joy　in　her　heart
  thereat　because　now　she　can　never　say　that　Love　has　scorned　her；
  nor　can　she　complain　of　aught；　for　he　makes　her　love　the　fairest；
  the　most　courteous；　and　the　most　valiant　man　that　one　could　ever
  find　anywhere；　but　she　must　needs　have　as　her　husband　one　who
  cannot　please　her；　and　she　is　full　of　anguish　and　distress
  thereat；　for　she　does　not　know　with　whom　to　take　counsel
  concerning　him　whom　she　desires　save　only　with　her　own　thoughts
  as　she　lies　awake。　And　thought　and　wakefulness　so　deal　with　her
  that　they　blanch　her　and　altogether　change　her　complexion；　so
  that　one　can　see　quite　clearly　by　her　loss　of　colour　that　she　has
  not　what　she　desires；　for　she　plays　less　than　her　wont；　and
  laughs　less；　and　disports　herself　less；　but　she　hides　it　well　and
  denies　it　stoutly　if　any　ask　what　ails　her。　Her　nurse；　who　had
  brought　her　up　from　infancy；　was　named　Thessala；　and　was　versed
  in　the　black　art。