| But Pandarus thoughte, `It shal not be so, |
| If that I may; this nyce opinioun |
| Shal not be holden fully yeres two.' |
| What sholde I make of this a long sermoun? |
| 1300 | He moste assente on that conclusioun, |
| As for the tyme; and whan that it was eve, |
| And al was wel, he roos and took his leve. |
| And on his wey ful faste homward he spedde, |
| And right for joye he felte his herte daunce; |
| 1305 | And Troilus he fond alone a-bedde, |
| That lay as dooth these loveres, in a traunce, |
| Bitwixen hope and derk desesperaunce. |
| But Pandarus, right at his in-cominge, |
| He song, as who seyth, `Lo! Sumwhat I bringe,' |
| 1310 | And seyde, `Who is in his bed so sone |
| Yburied thus?' `It am I, freend,' quod he. |
| `Who, Troilus? Nay, helpe me so the mone,' |
| Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt aryse and see |
| A charme that was sent right now to thee, |
| 1315 | The which can helen thee of thyn accesse, |
| If thou do forth-with al thy besinesse.' |
| `Ye, through the might of God!' quod Troilus. |
| And Pandarus gan him the lettre take, |
| And seyde, `Pardee, God hath holpen us; |
| 1320 | Have here a light, and loke on al this blake.' |
| But ofte gan the herte glade and quake |
| Of Troilus, whyl that he gan it rede, |
| So as the wordes yave him hope or drede. |
| But fynally, he took al for the beste |
| 1325 | That she him wroot, for somwhat he biheld |
| On which, him thoughte, he mighte his herte reste, |
| Al covered she the wordes under sheld. |
| Thus to the more worthy part he held, |
| That, what for hope and Pandarus biheste, |
| 1330 | His grete wo foryede he at the leste. |
| But as we may alday ourselven see, |
| Through more wode or col, the more fyr; |
| Right so encrees hope, of what it be, |
| Therwith ful ofte encreseth eek desyr; |
| 1335 | Or, as an ook cometh of a litel spyr, |
| So through this lettre, which that she him sente, |
| Encresen gan desyr, of which he brente. |
| Wherfore I seye alwey, that day and night |
| This Troilus gan to desiren more |
| 1340 | Than he dide erst, thurgh hope, and dide his might |
| To pressen on, as by Pandarus lore, |
| And wryten to hir of his sorwes sore |
| Fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde, |
| That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde; |
| 1345 | And dide also his othere observaunces |
| That to a lovere longeth in this cas; |
| And, after that these dees turnede on chaunces, |
| So was he outher glad or seyde `Allas!' |
| And held after his gestes ay his pas; |
| 1350 | And aftir swich answeres as he hadde, |
| So were his dayes sory outher gladde. |
|
