# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 26

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XXVI
The Lover loud to Danger cries For mercy, and with flattery plies His rugged soul, till thus he gains The boon wherefor he spends his pains.
Toward Danger then once more I came With timid step, affecting shame, But ventured not to pass the bound That hedged the precious Rose-tree round. ​Humility before Danger I found him standing bolt upright In seeming rage, and ready dight, His gnarled and knotted club. Then I, With humble mien and downcast eye,3300 Approached him, and exclaimed: “O Sire, I pray you humbly, let the ire You well may feel against me die, Seeing that now, most abjectly, I crave your pardon, and would do Whate’er your will should set me to, As act of penance. Love it is Who rules my heart, and he, ywis, My trespass caused. My mastering thought Is this, that through all time I nought3310 May anger you, and direst pain Would suffer ere that I again Incurred your wrath, wherefore to me Extend, I pray, your clemency, Who have your fear before mine eyes Unceasingly, and in such wise To you will render service due As ne’er shall give you cause to rue Free grant of pardon, noble sir, To your devoted worshipper.3320 Suffer that he but once again, Who of thy fostering hand is fain, May offer you his love. Your will, Or small or great, will I fulfil At risk of life, and faithful be Past all men call sincerity. What more to any sovereign lord Than life and love can man afford? ​Nay, for my own full weight in gold No man for master would I hold3330 But you alone.” Surly and slow Was Danger ere he deigned to throw Aside his wrath, but in the end Such eloquent words did I expend To calm him, that I gained his grace.
Danger.
Danger seems to relent Shortly, quoth he: “Not out of place Is that thou say’st: no spiteful rage Consumes my breast, nor will to wage Hot war against thee. What to me Is it if thou lov’st fatuously?3340 I feel therefrom nor cold nor heat; Love then—but suffer not thy feet To bear thee where my roses grow, Or thou my club’s full weight shalt know.”
The Lover.
Thuswise, from Danger did I get Forgiveness, and with swift foot let My comrade know thereof, who great And glad rejoicing showed thereat.
The Friend.
“Right well,” quoth he, “goes your affair; Danger will prove him debonair3350 In your regard; although at first His way it is to show a curst ​And evil spirit, yet his aid He oft affords to those who’ve paid Him adulation; many a wight Gains his goodwill who knows aright To trim his tongue. Experience proves, That patience oft his hard heart moves.”
The Lover.
Renewed hope Rejoiced I greatly, seeing thus My friend’s kind heart solicitous3360 E’en as mine own, for my content.
I bade adieu to him, and went, With hurried steps, yet once again
Anigh the hedge, for all heart-fain Was I once more the Rose to see, Nought else afforded joy to me.
On all my movements Danger kept A watch, that never flagged nor slept; But truth to tell small lust had I To risk his dread ferocity,3370 And all my thought was how to bate His dudgeon, and conciliate His fierceness, but at last despair Woke in my breast. I did not dare, Though groaning ’neath the long delay, Ere yet his wrath might melt away, To pass the hedge where grew the Rose, But as I stood beside the close, The wretch could hear my piteous sighs, Yet heeded nought, though in such wise3380 He saw me as must plainly tell That Love’s thrall bowed my soul to hell. ​And, though he nought could challenge me Of treasonous plot or treachery. He yet such cruel despite nursed And fostered in his soul accurst. That nought could soften, shake, or melt His heart for all the woes I felt.