Page 25 - Doralice
P. 25

and would deftly put the chamber in order,
            and sweep it, and make the bed. Then she
            would adjust the bed-curtains, and put on the
            coverlet cunningly embroidered with fine
            pearls, and two beautifully ornamented
            pillows thereto. After this, the fair maiden
            strewed the bed with roses, violets, and other
            sweet-smelling flowers, mingled with Cyprian

            spices which ex haled a subtle odour and
            soothed the brain to slumber. Day after day
            Dora- lice continued to compose the king's
            chamber in this pleasant fashion, without
            being seen of anyone, and thereby gave Genese
            much gratification ; for every day when he
            came back from the chase it seemed to him as

            if he was greeted by all the perfumes of the
            East. One day he questioned the queen his
            mother, and the ladies who were about her, as
            to which of them had so kindly and graciously
            adorned his room, and decked the bed with
            roses and violets and sweet scents. They
            answered, one and all, that they had no part in
            all this, for every morning, when they went to
            put the chamber in order, they found the bed

            strewn with flowers and perfumes.
            Genese, when he heard this, deter mined to
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