had come, without eating or drinking in that land. The youth, who remained with his father said: "Sir, this damsel is daughter of a mighty king, suffer him to take her, and I will go with her, and I doubt not thus to become a great lord, and your part will come to you." The father answered: "I know well that this is some treason which thou would'st practise on her and me, taking her out of my house to dishonour her, that thou mayest not have to take her to wife, and she shall never go with thee, which would be great scathe, but God has ordered better." And he cast his son forth by the door, notwithstanding his mother who took his part. But when he went in quest of the damsel and found her not, there was no bound to his sorrow, and when inquiring of the neighbours he came to know that the old steward had carried her off, and they had been seen to enter the galley and set sail, he was so overcome that there was no stay for his affliction. When the youth heard that they had departed he was ready to die with passion for the damsel, whom he loved more than his life, and moreover was consumed with remorse for not having brought the five thousand crusadoes from the galley, by aid of which he might have gone to seek her, but he had forgotten them for thinking of his lady, whom he prized above all the gold in the world. And thus he roved about distracted, and would have lost his wits but for friends and virtuous persons who comforted him, saying, you know who has taken her and whither she is bound; follow after her by land, and you will overtake her in good time. And receiving from them some money for
