The
guards accordingly carried off the young man, who had quite forgotten
his idle speech, and had not the least idea what fault he had
committed. They ill-treated him very much, and then left him, with
nothing to eat and only water to drink. This, however, kept him alive
for a few days, during which he did not cease to complain aloud, and
to call upon the king, saying, "O king, what harm have I done? You
have no subject more faithful than I. Never have I had a thought which
could offend you."
And it so befell that the king, coming by chance, or else with a sort
of remorse, past the tower, was touched by the voice of the young
Avenant, whom he had once so much regarded. In spite of all the
courtiers could do to prevent him, he stopped to listen, and overheard
these words. The tears rushed into his eyes; he opened the door of the
tower, and called, "Avenant!" Avenant came, creeping feebly along,
fell at the king's knees, and kissed his feet:
"O sire, what have I done that you should treat me so cruelly?"
"You have mocked me and my ambassador; for you said, if I had sent you
to fetch the Fair One with Golden Locks, you would have been
successful and brought her back."
"I did say it, and it was true," replied Avenant fearlessly; "for I
should have told her so much about your majesty and your various high
qualities, which no one knows so well as myself, that I am persuaded
she would have returned with me.
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