"
[Footnote 1: drink.]
[Footnote 2: hawk.]
Saladyne, hearing how Aliena harped still upon one string, which was
the doubt of men's constancy, he broke off her sharp invective thus:
"I grant, Aliena," quoth he, "many men have done amiss in proving soon
ripe and soon rotten; but particular instances infer no general
conclusions, and therefore I hope what others have faulted in shall
not prejudice my favors. I will not use sophistry to confirm my love,
for that is subtlety; nor long discourses lest my words might be
thought more than my faith: but if this will suffice, that by the
honor of a gentleman I love Aliena, and woo Aliena, not to crop the
blossoms and reject the tree, but to consummate my faithful desires in
the honorable end of marriage."
At the word marriage Aliena stood in a maze what to answer, fearing
that if she were too coy, to drive him away with her disdain, and if
she were too courteous, to discover the heat of her desires. In a
dilemma thus what to do, at last this she said:
"Saladyne, ever since I saw thee, I favored thee; I cannot dissemble
my desires, because I see thou dost faithfully manifest thy thoughts,
and in liking thee I love thee so far as mine honor holds fancy still
in suspense; but if I knew thee as virtuous as thy father, or as well
qualified as thy brother Rosader, the doubt should be quickly decided:
but for this time to give thee an answer, assure thyself this, I will
either marry with Saladyne, or still live a virgin.
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