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Now when the night was well spent and drawing on to dawn, Solita, for very weariness, fell asleep at the pillar's foot, and Rudel began to take counsel with himself if, by any manner of means, he might outwit the Princess Joceliande. For this he saw, that she would not have him wed her handmaiden, and for that cause, and for no cowardice of his, had so cruelly entreated him.
"What ails you, child?" the princess asked. "It is my hair," she replied, and Joceliande, smiling heedlessly, bade her read on. So she read until Joceliande bade her stop and called to her, and Solita came over to the window and knelt by the side of the princess, so that her hair fell across the wrist of Joceliande and fettered it.
And never yet was kingdom established but the stones of its walls were mortised with the blood of women's hearts." So she pleaded, hiding her own thoughts, until Solita answered her, and said: "God help me, but he shall go to Broye!" Much ado had the Princess Joceliande to hide her joy for the success of her device; but Solita, poor lass! had neither eyes nor thoughts for her.
And Solita blushed yet more deeply, so that even her neck down to her shoulders grew rosy, and once or twice she nodded her head, for her lips would not speak the word. Then Joceliande sighed to herself and said "And yet, perchance, he would not die for you, whereas men die for me daily, and from mere obedience. How is he called?"
The Sieur Rudel was born within the castle of Princess Joceliande, and there grew to childhood and from childhood to youth, being ever entreated with great amity and love for his own no less than for his father's sake. Though of a slight and delicate figure, he excelled in all manly exercises and sports and in venery and hawking. There was not one about the court that could equal him.
Then did he weep, believing that in truth she had killed herself, but the princess must needs touch him upon the shoulder. "My lord," she said, "why weep for the handmaid when the princess lives?" Then the Sieur Rudel rose straightway to his feet and said: "This is thy doing!" For a little Joceliande denied it, saying that of her own will and desire Solita had perished.
"Madame, it is easy for you to bind my hair, but for myself, I have no mirror and so dress it awkwardly." Joceliande laughed again merrily at the words. "Dear heart!" she cried. "What man is it? Hast discovered thou art a woman after all? First thou fearest for thy hair, and now thou askest a mirror. But in truth I like thee the better for thy discovery."
But for the Princess Joceliande, she sat with downcast head, and for a while vouchsafed no reply. For her heart was sore at the thought that Sieur Rudel should go from her. "There is much danger in the adventure," she said at length, doubtfully.
But he paid no heed to them, nor could they provoke him by any number of taunts. Whereupon, being angered at his silence, they were fain to send to Solita and make their sport with her. But that Joceliande would not suffer, and, rising, she went to Solita's chamber and entreated her most kindly, telling her that for love of her the Sieur Rudel would not adventure himself at Broye.
Now leave we the Princess Joceliande, and hie before her messenger to the chamber of Solita. No pearls or purple robes had she to clad her beauty in, but a simple gown of white wool fastened with a silver girdle about the waist, and her hair she loosed so that it rippled down her shoulders and nestled round her ears and face. Thither the Sieur Rudel came straight from the sea, and
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