100
Queen Candace confronts Alexander.
The next
day she
goes alone
with Alex-
ander to
her with-
drawing
room,
which lies
beyond her
bedroom.
Her with-
drawing
room is
moved on
wheels by
elephants.
Alexander
utters his
wonder.
* Leaf 42
b]£.
Queen
Candace
addresses
him by
name.
Alex-
ander's
fear.
She shows
him his
portrait.
Alexander
fears again.
She rails
at him
that he, the
conqueror
of the
world, is
fallen into
a woman's
hands.
Alexander
is angered.
She rails
at him
further.
pat day Alexander ete wit quene Candace & hir cliildire.
* ApoiD fe morne quene Candace tuk Alexander by Ipe riglit
hande & ledJhym in-titt hir beddT-charabir, and nane wit J^anD,
Bot pay twa allan). pis chambir was couerde aft oner wit-in 4
wit golde & precious stanes. And it schane w^t-in, as it had
bene ])e sonne. And oute of J^is chambir scho ledd? hym in-titt
a wit-drawyng chambir made of cypresse. pis chambir was sett
apon) foure wheles by crafte of clergy ; And twenty xx^i Oly- 8
phauntis drewe it whedir as scho wolde hafe it. And when)
Alexander & pe quene ware entrede in-to p&t chambir, onane
it stirredd" & by-gau for to remowe. And J^an) Alexander
was astonayde & meruaylled' hym) gretly & said vn-to J>e 12
quene : ' For sothe,' quop he, ' & j^ir meruaitts ware in oure
cuntree J?ay ware ri3te commendable & mekitl worthy * to be
praysede.' The quene answerde : ' pou saise sothe, Alexander,'
quop scho, * pay ware mare commendable amange^ pe Greke^, 16
J^an) amange^ vs.' And also sone als Alexander herde hys
name be neuenede, he was gretly trubblede, and his vesage
bi-gaiD to waxe pale, and his chere to change. And than the
quene said efte vn-to hym: 'Alexander/ qudp she, * for to schewe 20
pe mare verrayly pat pou ert Alexander, coin) with me.' And
f)an) scho tuk hym) by pe hande & leedde hym in-titt snaoper
chambir, and schewed? hym }?are his awenn) Fygure pwrtrayed' in
a parchemyfD skyne. And when) Alexa7ider saw f>at, he wex 24
pale & wanne & bigan^ie to tremblee. And f)aii) J^e quene said
vn-tiK hym : ' Alexander,* quop scho, ' where-fore ert J^ou ferde,
& why chaunge5 pow chere. Thou Jjat base distroyed' alt pe
werlde ; conquerot^r of Perse, of Inde, of Mede, and many oper 28
rewmes & lande5, Now arte J^ou w^'towtten) scheddynge of blode
fallefD in pe dawngere & in pe hande5 of quene Candace vnauysyli.
And pare-hj may pou wele kwawe f)at a manes hert sulde on na
wyse be enhanced" in pride. For if alt it bee pat ofte tymmes 32
grete prosperitee fatt to man), Sodaynly falle^ adversitee tilt
hym when) he teste wenes.' When) Alexander herde Jjis he
bigan) to grayste w^t pe teethe and to torne his hede hedir
& thedir. And quene Candace saide vn-tilt hym) : ' Whare to 36
angers pan pe,' quop scho, ' & truble^ thi selfe 1 What may
now thi grete Impmatt glory, thi witt & thi mighte serue
^ Four lines with red capital A.
^A.
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