THE KNIGHTES   TALE.	157
As sende me him that most desireth me. Bihold, goddesse of clene chastite, The bittre teeres that on my cheekes falle. Syn thou art mayde, and kepere of us alle. My maydenhode thou kepe and wel conserve, And whil I lyve a mayde I wil the serve.' The fyres brenne upon the auter cleere, Whil Emelye was thus in hire prey ere; But sodeinly sche saugh a sighte queynte, For right anon on of the fyres queynte, And quykede agayn, and after that anon That other fyr was queynt, and al agon; And as it queynte, it made a whistelynge, As doth a wete brond in his brennynge. And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon As it were bloody dropes many oon; For which so sore agast was Emelye, That sche was wel neih mad, and gan to crie, For sche ne wiste what it signifyede; But oonly for the feere thus sche cryede And wep, that it was pit£ for to heere. And therwithal Dyane gan appeere, With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse, And seyde : * Doughter, stynt thyn hevynesse. Among the goddes hye it is affermed, Attd by eterne word write and confermed, Thou schalt ben wedded unto oon of tho That han for the so moche care and wo; But unto which of hem I may nat telle. Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle. The fyres which that on myn auter brenne Schuln the declaren, or that thou go henne, Thyn aventure of love, as in this caas.' And with that word, the arvves in the caas Of the goddesse clatren faste and rynge, And forth sche wente, and made a vanysschynge, For which this Emelye astoned was,