Chapter 84

How Princess Grasinda, when she learned of Amadis’s victory, attired herself and went to meet Oriana, accompanied by many knights and ladies. 

[Gardens of Generalife Palace, part of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Photo by Cindy Van Vreede.]
 
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Among those whom I spoke of and who had remained on the island was the very beautiful Grasinda. When she learned of the arrival of the fleet and of everything that had happened at sea, with great diligence she immediately prepared to meet Oriana, whom she wished to see more than anyone else in the world because of the great things that had been said about her everywhere. And as she was a lady of great means and very rich, and she wished to show her wealth, she quickly put on a gown and an overdress with a pattern of golden roses created with superb art, decorated and surrounded by pearls and precious stones of great value, which until then she had not worn nor shown to anyone because she was keeping it for the test of the forbidden chamber, which she would do later.

On her beautiful hair she wished to wear none other than the very costly crown that by her beauty and by the great skill of the Greek Knight she had won in an outstanding victory for both of them from all the damsels who at that time were in the court of King Lisuarte.

She rode on a white palfrey whose saddle and reins and other adornments covered with enameled gold worked with great artifice. She had this clothing and saddlery so that if by good fortune she were able to successfully complete the test of the forbidden chamber, she could return to the court of King Lisuarte with this grand and fine attire to make her achievement known to Queen Brisena, her daughter Oriana, and the other princesses and ladies and damsels, and with great glory return to her lands. But things seemed to be happening very differently from what she had thought, because although she was finely attired and beautiful in the opinion of many people, and even more beautiful in her own opinion, she was far from equal to the beauty of Queen Briolanja, who had already tried that test and failed.

So with this grand attire, as ye hear, she left her lodging, attended by her ladies and damsels, also richly dressed, and ten knights on foot, who carried the reins and accompanied her so no one could approach her. She went to the seaside, where with great haste they had constructed the bridge ye have heard of to the ship that carried Oriana. When Grasinda arrived, she stood at the entrance to the bridge waiting for Oriana, who by then was ready, and all the knights had gone to her ship to accompany her.

Dressed more in keeping with her misfortune and her modesty than to accent her beauty, Oriana saw her and asked Sir Bruneo who that lady was who had come to the court of her father the King and won the crown from the damsels. Sir Bruneo told her who she was, and that she should be honored and welcomed, for she was one of the finest ladies in the world in her condition. And he told her a great deal about her and of the great honors that Amadis and Angriote and he himself had received from her.

Oriana told him:

“It is very proper that ye and your friends honor her and love her dearly, and so I shall myself.”

Then Sir Cuadragante and Agrajes took her by the arm, Sir Florestan and Angriote took Queen Sardamira, Amadis took Mabilia, Sir Bruneo and Dragonis took Olinda, and other knights took the rest of the princesses and ladies. All the knights wore their armor and were very happy, laughing to give courage and pleasure to the ladies. When Oriana neared the land, Grasinda dismounted from her palfrey and knelt next to the bridge, and took her hands to kiss them. But Oriana pulled her hands back and did not wish to give them; instead she embraced her with great love as one who was customarily very humble and gracious toward those whom she ought to be. Grasinda, seeing her so close and looking at her great beauty, was startled, although she had heard her thoroughly praised. She found her so much different in person that she could not believe that a mortal person could achieve such great beauty.

And, on her knees, for Oriana could not make her rise, she said:

“Now, my good lady, I must rightly give great thanks to our Lord and serve him for the great kindness he did me in not having you in the court of your father the King when I came there, for surely, although I brought the best knight in the world as my guard and protector in my quest to be judged for my beauty, I say that he could have been in great danger if God had helped the knight at arms who was in the right, as God is said to do. If I had been trying to win the honor that I won given the extreme disadvantage that my beauty has to yours, I would have failed in my quest, and it would not concluded as it did, even if the knight fighting for you had been very weak.”

Then she looked at Amadis and told him:

“My lord, if ye have received any offense from this, forgive me, because my eyes have never seen anything like that which is before them now.”

Amadis, who was very joyful to see his lady receive such praise, said:

“My lady, it would be a great injustice to take wrongly what you have said to this noble lady, and if I were to complain about that, I would speak against the greatest truth that has ever been said.”

Oriana, who was a little embarrassed to hear herself praised like that, and thinking more about the misfortune she had just suffered for being so appreciated for her beauty, answered:

“My lady, I do not wish to respond to what you have said about me, for were I to contradict you, I would err against a person who was very wise, and if I were to agree, it would be a great shame and dishonor for me. I only wish that ye know how much I am happy that your honor was increased, inasmuch as I can as the poor and disinherited damsel that I am.”

Then she asked Agrajes to place Grasinda next to Olinda, which he did, and she remained with Sir Cuadragante. They all left the bridge and Oriana mounted a palfrey more richly adorned than any that she had ever seen, adornments that her mother Queen Brisena had provided for her entrance into Rome. They put Queen Sardamira on another horse, and all the ladies on other horses, and Grasinda on hers. And no matter how much Oriana objected, she could not disuade all those lords and knights from accompanying her on foot, which made her very upset, but they considered that every honor and service they could give her would be returned to them in their own praise.

And so, as ye hear, they entered the island through the castle, and they took the ladies with Oriana to the tower in the garden, where Sir Gandales had prepared their lodgings. It was the main tower of the entire island, and although in many other places there were rich and elaborately made houses that Apolidon had enchanted, as Book II has recounted in greater detail, his principal place of residence and where he spent the most time was that tower. For that reason he had decorated it with such things and riches that the greatest emperor in the world would not dare even to try to reproduce.

It contained nine rooms, three on each floor, one above another, each one different, and although some of them had been made with the ingenuity of men who were very wise, all the rest was done by the art and great wisdom of Apolidon, so amazingly worked that no one in the world would be able to appreciate it, much less understand its great subtlety. And because it would be very tedious to describe in detail, it will only be said that this tower was located in the middle of a garden. A very beautiful masonry wall surrounded the garden, which contained the most beautiful trees and other plants of all types ever seen, and fountains flowing with very sweet water. Many of the trees bore fruit throughout the year, and others lovely flowers. Inside this garden, an arcade along the wall was wrought with gold grillwork through which greenery could be seen, and one could walk within it around the garden and could only enter and leave by a single doorway.

The ground was paved with stones, some white and like glass, some colored and clear like rubies, and others of various kinds, which Apolidon had ordered brought from islands in the Orient where precious stones and other amazing things are produced and transported to other lands. They are created by the great heat of the sun that burns there continuously, but the islands are only populated by fearsome beasts. People living nearby had warned about them and had never gone there themselves. But that wise Apolidon ingeniously made artifices so his men could move among them without fear of being killed. And since that time, many things have been brought to the rest of the world that had never before been seen, and from them Apolidon earned great wealth.

The four sides of this tower were encircled by four fountains with water from the high mountains, brought by metal pipes, and the water fell from high up on pillars of gilded copper, from the mouths of animals. From the first floor windows, water could easily be reached, which was collected in round golden basins that were set into the pillars themselves. From these four fountains the entire garden was watered.

In this tower that ye hear of were lodged Princess Oriana and the other ladies that ye know of, each one in her chamber as she merited and as Princess Mabilia ordered. There they were served by ladies and damsels with everything they could possibly need, which Amadis had ordered supplied for them. And no knight could enter the garden or the chambers at Oriana’s preference. She sent word to those lords to ask for their understanding, for she wished to remain there as if cloistered until her father the King offered some promise to agree to peace and concord. They all held her idea to be very virtuous and praised her good intentions, and they sent a message to say in that, as in every other thing in her service, they could do nothing but follow her will.

Amadis’s anguished heart could nowhere find repose nor remedy except in the presence of his lady, because she was the only source of his rest, and without her presence he was continuously tormented by and suffered from great mortal desires, as ye have heard many times throughout this great story, but he wished even more for her contentment and feared more the loss of her honor than dying himself a hundred thousand times. So, beyond anyone else, he showed contentment and pleasure at what that lady considered proper and honest. As a remedy for his passions and anguish, he knew that he had her in his power and in a place where she had nothing to fear in the world, and where before losing her he would lose his own life; at death, the great flames that continually seared his sad heart would cool and grow still.

All the great lords and knights and the common men were given lodging according to their tastes in places on the island that were appropriate for their conditions and qualities, and they were supplied generously with everything necessary for a good and pleasant life. Although Amadis had always traveled as a poor knight, he had found on that island great treasures to provide him income, and he had many jewels of great worth that his mother the Queen and other great ladies had given him, and since he had had no need for them, they had been sent there. And besides that, all of the residents and inhabitants of the island, who were very rich and prudent with their wealth, were happy to serve him by providing generous provisions of bread and meat and wine, and the other things that they could give him.

And so as ye hear Princess Oriana was brought to Firm Island with those ladies and was given lodging, as were all the knights who were in her service and assistance.

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Chapter 78 [part 1 of 3]

How the Knight of the Green Sword, who was at that time called the Greek Knight, Sir Bruneo of Bonamar, and Angriote de Estravaus traveled together by sea accompanied by the very beautiful Grasinda on their way to the court of King Lisuarte, who was determined to send his daughter Oriana to the Emperor of Rome to become his wife; and what happened when Grasinda declared her quest. 

[Medieval ships portrayed on postage stamps from the Republique de Burundi.]
 
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The Knight of the Green Sword, Sir Bruneo of Bonamar, and Angriote de Estravaus, sailed the sea with Grasinda, sometimes with good weather and sometimes with bad as God sent, until they arrived at the ocean along the coast of Spain. When he of the Green Sword saw that they were nearing Great Britain, he gave profound thanks to God for letting him escape so many dangers and storms as they had crossed the seas, and for bringing him to the land where his lady was. Great joy overcame his heart.

Then he happily ordered all the ships to draw together and asked everyone to call him by no other name than the Greek Knight, and ordered them to hasten to land at Great Britain. Then he sat with Grasinda at her estrado and told her:

“Beautiful lady, the time you have wished for will come soon and, if God pleases, your heart’s desire shall be fulfilled. And truly, my lady, believe that neither for toil nor for danger to my person shall I fail to repay you for some of the kindnesses ye have shown to me.”

“Greek Knight, my friend,” she said, “I have such faith in God and His guidance that if your will were not so, He would not have given me such a knight as you to protect me. And I thank you for what ye have told me, because my heart burns twice as bright being so close to the challenge.”

The Greek Knight ordered Gandalin to bring him the six swords that Queen Menoresa had given him in Constantinople, which Gandalin did. The Greek Knight gave one to Sir Bruneo and one Angriote, who were astonished by how richly they were decorated. He took another one for himself and ordered Gandalin to put his green sword where no one could see it and to put the other one with his arms. He did this because he was going to King Lisuarte’s court and wish to do so undercover, and he did not want to be recognized by that sword.

By then it was between three and six o’clock. Grasinda, who was seasick, had the Greek Knight and Sir Bruneo and Angriote take her to the railing of the ship because she would feel relieved to see land. The four spoke of whatever pleased them most, continuing on their voyage, and as the sun began to set they saw a ship becalmed in the sea. The Greek Knight ordered to sailors to head toward it.

When they were close enough to hear each other, the Greek Knight told Angriote to ask the men in the ship if they had any news. Angriote greeted them courteously and said:

“What ship is this and who is in it?”

When they heard the question, they answered:

“The ship comes from Firm Island and two knights travel in it, who shall tell ye what ye may wish to know.”

When the Greek Knight heard Firm Island mentioned, his heart felt happy, as did the hearts of his companions, thinking they might learn what they had hoped to hear. Angriote said:

“My friends, we ask if these knights might please come forward so we may ask them about news we wish to learn. And if ye please, tell us who they are.”

“We shall not give their names, but we will tell them your request.”

They called the two knights, who came beside their men. Then Angriote said:

“My lords, we wish to know where King Lisuarte is, if by chance ye know.”

“We shall tell you everything we know,” they said. “But first we wish to ask about something we have toiled hard to learn, although we expect even more toil before we succeed.”

“Ask what ye please,” Angriote said, “and if I know, ye shall learn it.”

They said:

“My friend, what we wish to learn is news about a knight named Amadis of Gaul. All his friends are wandering and dying in foreign lands to find him.”

When the Greek Knight heard this, tears immediately came to his eyes from the great pleasure his spirit felt to know that all his relatives and friends were so loyal, but he remained quiet. Angriote told them:

“Now tell me who ye are, and I shall tell you what ye wish to know.”

One of them said:

“Know that my name is Dragonis, and this is my companion, Enil, and we plan to sail through the Mediterranean Sea and its ports from one end to another to try to learn news about this man of whom we ask.”

“My lords,” Angriote said, “may God give you good news about him. People from many lands are on these ships, and I shall ask to see if one of them knows anything, and I shall gladly tell you it.”

He said this on orders from the Greek Knight, and he told them:

“For the moment, I ask you to tell me where King Lisuarte is, and what news ye know of him and of his wife, Queen Brisena, and of his court.”

“I shall tell you,” Dragonis said. “Know that he is in a town called Tagades, and it is a large seaport facing Normandy. He has called all his noblemen to court for their counsel on whether to give his daughter Oriana to the Emperor of Rome, who has asked to have her for his wife. Many Romans are there to take her, and among them the greatest is Salustanquidio, Prince of Calabria, and many others whom he commands, who are esteemed knights. They have a Queen with them named Sardamira to accompany Oriana, whom the Emperor is already calling the Empress of Rome.”

When the Greek Knight heard this, his heart shook and he felt faint for a time. But when Dragonis began to describe how Oriana was bitter and weeping, and how she had sent her complaints to all the noblemen of Great Britain, his heart became quieter and strong, since she was sorrowful. He realized that the Romans could not be so many or so mighty as to prevent him from taking her by sea or land, and since he would do that for the poorest damsel in the world, what ought he do for she whom if he were to lose for only a moment, he could not live?

He gave great thanks to God because he would arrive in that land where he could repay his lady for some of the great favors she had given him, and if he took her, he would have her as he wished with no shame on her part. And with that idea he became as happy and joyous as if it were already accomplished and done.

He quietly told Angriote to ask Dragonis where he had learned that news. When he was asked, Dragonis said:

“We have left from Firm Island, where four days ago, some knights arrived: Sir Cuadragante and his nephew Ladin, Gavarte of the Fearsome Valley, Madancian of the Silver Bridge, and Helian the Lighthearted. These five came to hold counsel with Florestan and Agrajes, who are there, about how they should begin the quest for Amadis, he whom we search for. Sir Cuadragante wanted to send someone to King Lisuarte’s court to learn if the foreigners there had some news about the valiant Amadis. But Sir Florestan told him not to because he had just come from there and they had no news. His squires told of a contention Florestan had with the Roman, and how his praise shall be sung as long as the world endures.”

When Angriote heard this, he said:

“My lord knight, tell us who this man is and what praiseworthy things he did.”

“He is a son of King Perion of Gaul,” Dragonis said, “and he is very much like his brothers in his great skill at arms.”

And he told everything that had happened with the Roman knights as Queen Sardamira watched, and how he brought their shields to Firm Island with the names of their owners written in their blood.

“And this Sir Florestan recounted the news that we told you, and how Queen Sardamira’s knights were in such poor shape that she asked Sir Florestan to guard her until she reached Miraflores, where she went to see Oriana, King Lisuarte’s daughter.”

The Greek Knight and his friends were very happy about Sir Florestan’s good fortune. And when the Greek Knight heard Miraflores mentioned, his heart jumped and would not be still as he remembered the delightful time he passed with she who was his lady. He left Grasinda and the other knights, drew aside Gandalin, and told him:

“My true friend, thou hast heard the news about Oriana, and if it were to come to pass, she and I would meet our deaths. I ask thee to be extremely careful with what I send thee to do, which is this: that thou and Ardian the dwarf bid me farewell, saying that you wish to go with the men in the ship to search for Amadis. Tell my cousin Dragonis and Enil all the news about me, then go back to Firm Island. And when thou arrivest there, tell Sir Cuadragante and Agrajes that I beg them not to leave there, for I shall be with them in two weeks and they should keep with them all those knights there who are our friends and send for more of them if they know where they are. And tell Sir Florestan and thy father Sir Gandales that they provision all the ships they have there with viands and arms because I must use them to go to a place were I have promised to be, which I shall tell them about when I see them. Take great caution in this for thou knowest what it means to me.”

Then he called the dwarf, and told him:

“Ardian, go with Gandalin and do as he tells thee.”

Gandalin, who was eager to fulfill his lord’s orders, went to Grasinda and told her:

“My lady, we wish to leave the Greek Knight to join the search with those knights in that ship, who are looking for Amadis, and may God thank you for the kindnesses that we have received from you.”

And in the same way they bid farewell to the Greek Knight, Sir Bruneo and Angriote, commended them to God, and boarded the other ship.

Angriote told them:

“My lords, ye see there a squire and a dwarf who share the same search as you.”

But when they saw that they were Gandalin and the dwarf, they were very happy. And when they learned their news, their galley left the fleet and took them toward Firm Island.

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Chapter 63 [part 2 of 3]

[How Queen Briolanja arrived at Firm Island, and the wonders she saw there, and how she tested the forbidden chamber.] 

[Alexander the Great fighting a dragon from Le Livre et la vraye hystoire du bon roy Alixandre, on display at Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination at the British Library.]
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At this time one of Queen Briolanja’s damsels arrived with orders to tell Oriana what had happened at Firm Island, which pleased everyone because the Queen was well loved by all. She said to Oriana:

“My lady, I have come to you on behalf of Briolanja to tell you about the wonders she found at Firm Island, for I saw it all and ye can know it from me.”

“May God give her a long life,” Oriana said, “and good fortune to you for the effort ye have undertaken.”

Then everyone came to listen to her story, and the damsel said:

“My lady, know that after Briolanja left here, she arrived with all her company at the Island, where she spent five days. She was immediately asked if she wished to try the test of the chamber or the arch of love, and she said that she wished to leave those two tests for the end. Instead they took her to some beautiful houses a league from the castle, which were abundantly provisioned and which had been some of the famous principal residences of Apolidon.

“When it came time to eat, they brought us to a beautiful great hall, marvelously decorated, and at one end of it was a very deep, large, dark cave, so frightening to look into that none of us dared to go near. At the other end of the grand hall was a splendid tower, and from the windows one could see everything that happened in the hall. They had all us women go up into it, where we found tables and estrados placed next to the windows. There the Queen and ourselves were very well served with many kinds of delicacies by very attentive ladies and damsels.

“Below in the hall, as ye have heard, the knights and our other people ate, and they were served by knights of that land, and after they had put the second course in front of them, they heard loud hissing from the cave and hot smoke came out. Soon a great serpent emerged and stood in the middle of the hall, brave and terrifying, and no one dared look at it. Smoke came from its nostrils and it whipped its tail so hard that the entire hall shook.

“And then behind it two enormous lions came out of the cavern, and they all began to fight so bravely and so fiercely that no man’s heart was not terrified. The knights and other people abandoned their tables and left the hall as fast as they could. Although the windows from which we watched with Briolanja were very high, even still we could not help but be very afraid and terrified.

“The battle lasted a half-hour, and at its end the lions were so tired that they lay on the ground as if they were dead, and the serpent so tired and weary it hardly breathe. But after it had rested a while, it took one of the lions in its mouth and put it in the cave, returned for the other one, threw it inside, and then leapt in after them.

“They did not reappear for the rest of the day, and the men of the island laughed heartily at our terror. When we were sure they would not come back that day, we returned to the tables and finished our meal.

“And so we passed the day, and that night in a good lodging, and the next day they took us to an even more wonderful site, where we passed the day in great pleasure and were provided with all the things we needed. When it was time to sleep, they took us to a fine and beautiful chamber that was amazing to behold, where there was a bed of rich, costly fabric for Briolanja and other beds exceedingly fine for us.

“We were tired and sleepy, but after we had lain down and midnight had passed, the doors opened so loudly that we were all awakened and frightened. We saw a stag enter with lit candles on its horns, and the entire chamber was illuminated as if it were day. Half of it was white as snow, and the neck and head as black as tar, and one horn seemed gilt and the other vermillion.

“Behind it came four dogs of similar appearance, and all of them were harassing it, so it was sorely afflicted. And behind it came a gold and ivory horn that was playing itself and floating in the air as if someone were holding it in their hand. It sounded a hunting call that drove on the dogs.

“They would not let the stag rest, and it ran from one side of the chamber to the other, jumping over our beds, which made them shake, and at times it tripped on the beds and fell. We got up in our nightshirts and with our hair loose, fleeing from the stag, and some of us hid under our beds. But the dogs did not stop pursuing it as hard as they could, and when the stag saw that it had no place to hide in the chamber, it jumped out of the window as fast as it could and the dogs leapt out after it, and so we were very relieved.

“We picked up the bedding, which had been made disorderly, and covered ourselves, and we gave Briolanja, who was very worried, a robe to wear. When we ceased to be afraid, we laughed a lot at the disarray in which we found ourselves. As we were remaking the beds, a lady and two damsels came through the door, with a little girl carrying candles ahead of them, and the lady said to Briolanja:

“ ‘My lady, what happened to you that ye are awake?’

“She told her:

“ ‘My friend, such a commotion that it would be hard to recount.’

The lady laughed a lot, and said:

“ ‘Well, my lady, lay down and sleep, for tonight nothing more will happen for you to fear.’

“With that assurance we straightened our beds and slept the rest of the night. The next day, early in the morning, we left and went to a forest where there were many tall pine trees and beautiful gardens, and we rested in tents alongside a river. There we found a round house of twelve marble pillars and a strangely constructed roof. Between the pillars were glass panels locked in place and made in such a subtle way that everyone outside could see what was inside. It had two doors worked with sheets of gold and silver that were amazingly valuable.

“On top of each post inside the house was a copper statue made to resemble a giant that held a powerful bow whose arrows had red-hot iron tips as bright as if they had just come out of a fire. They said that nothing can enter there without being immediately turned into ashes by the fire on those arrows, because the statues instantly shoot their bows and never miss their target.

“As we watched with Briolanja, they put two fallow deer and a buck inside, and immediately arrows were shot into them, then the arrows flew back to the archers and the animals were reduced to ashes. On the doors of the palace, an inscription said:

“ ‘Let no man or woman dare to enter this house if they do not love each other as much and as loyally as Grimanesa and Apolidon, who made this enchantment, and they must enter together the first time, for if each one were to do it alone, they would suffer the most cruel death ever seen. This enchantment will last until a man and woman come who due to their great loyalty in love and the great skill at arms of the knight, shall enter in the beautiful enchanted chamber and lie together as one. And when they are wed, then all the enchantments of Firm Island shall be undone.’

“We stayed there that day, and Briolanja sent for Isanjo and Enil and told them that we no longer wished to see anything more besides the arch of love and the forbidden chamber. She asked Isanjo about the serpent and lions, and the stag and dogs.

“ ‘My lady,’ he said, ‘we know only that the serpent and lions come out each day at the time that ye saw them and fight that way, and of the buck and dogs I tell you they come to that chamber every night at the hour in which ye saw them, and they turn to leave by the window, with the dogs behind the buck, and they all enter a lake nearby that we think leads to the sea. I do not know what more to tell you, my lady, except that it would take you more than a year to see all the great marvels that are on this island.’

“The next morning, we mounted our palfreys and returned to the castle. Immediately Briolanja went to the arch of the loyal lovers and entered through its forbidden pillars as she who had never erred in her love for even a moment. The statue played a very sweet song with its trumpet, so sweet that it made us faint. And when Briolanja entered inside, where the images of Apolidon and Grimanesa were, the song stopped with sweet final notes that were wonderful to hear. There she saw the statues as beautiful and new as if they were alive, so that although she was alone, she felt as if they were with her. Immediately she saw freshly carved letters in the jasper that said:

“ ‘This is the name of Briolanja, daughter of Tagadan, King of Sobradisa. This is the third damsel who has entered here.’

“Immediately she thought to leave, for she was very afraid to be alone, since no one in her company could enter. She left and went to her lodging. On the fifth day she went to test the forbidden chamber, and she was dressed so richly it was astonishing. She wore nothing on her hair besides a beautiful golden headband set with precious gems, and all those who saw her said that if she did not enter the chamber, then no one in the world could, and that when she did, all the enchantments would end.

“She commended herself to God and entered the forbidden site and passed the copper pillar and reached the marble one, and read the words that were written on it. When she was three steps away from the door of the chamber, three hands grabbed her by her beautiful, precious hair and tossed her away without pity. And like the rest, they threw her outside of the protected site, and she was left so battered that we could not revive her.”

Oriana, whose heart had felt faint and sad as she listened, became very happy. She looked at Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark, and they at her, and they were all pleased.

The damsel said:

“We spent the rest of the day there, and the next day Briolanja left for her kingdom.”

After the news had been told, the damsel left to go to her lady, and she carried messages from Queen Brisena and Oriana and the other ladies and damsels for her.
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