When all was finished in a fashion, I led him down the stairs again to
the eating-room where supper was waiting, and offered him food, at
the sight of which his eyes glistened, for clearly he was well-nigh
starving. The chair I gave him he would not sit on, whether from respect
for me or because it was strange to him, I do not know, but seeing a low
stool of tapestry which my uncle had used to rest his feet, he crouched
upon this, and thus ate of whatever I gave him, very delicately though
he was so hungry. Then I poured wine from Portugal into a goblet and
drank some myself to show him that it was harmless, which, after tasting
it, he swallowed to the last drop.
The meal being finished which I thought it was well to shorten lest
he should eat too much who was so weak, again he lifted up his eyes as
though in gratitude, and as a sign of thankfulness, or so I suppose,
knelt before me, took my hand, and pressed it against his forehead,
thereby, although I did not know it at the time, vowing himself to
my service. Then seeing how weary he was I conducted him back to the
chamber and pointed out the bed to him, shutting my eyes to show that
he should sleep there.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122