Page 13 - The Green Beaubird

told the king what she had spoken, and he was
much pleased thereat. So then and there he
wedded Brunora to the majordomo and
Lionella to the chamberlain, while he himself
took Chiaretta to wife. There was no hunting
that day, for the whole company returned to
the city, where the marriages were celebrated
with the greatest pomp.

But the mother of Ancilotto was greatly wroth
at his marriage, for however fair Chiaretta
might be in face and figure, and graceful in her
person, and sweet and modest in her
conversation, the queen mother held it to be a
slight to the royal dignity that her daughter-in-

law should be of vile and common descent,
nor could she endure it that the majordomo
and the chamberlain should be brothers-in law
of the king her son. These things kindled so
hotly the rage of the queen-mother against
Chiaretta that she could scarce endure her
presence; nevertheless she hid her wrath so as
not to offend her son.

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