Pagina 257 di 1116

When the Porter heard their words he rejoined, "By your lives! I

am a man of sense and a discreet, who hath read books and perused

chronicles; I reveal the fair and conceal the foul and I act as

the poet adviseth:-

None but the good a secret keep * And good men keep it

unrevealed: It is to me a well shut house * With keyless locks

and door ensealed"[FN#154]

When the maidens heard his verse and its poetical application

addressed to them they said, "Thou knowest that we have laid out

all our monies on this place. Now say, hast thou aught to offer

us in return for entertainment? For surely we will not suffer

thee to sit in our company and be our cup companion, and gaze

upon our faces so fair and so rare without paying a round

sum.[FN#155] Wottest thou not the saying:-

Sans hope of gain Love's not worth a grain?"