he went and spied by the light of the lamp where the Empress and the maidden lay together, and with that he drew out his knife, and cut the throat of the Earl's Daughter, and put the knife into the Empress's hand, the being asleep, and not knowing there- of, to the intent that when the Earl awaked, he should think that she had cut his Daughter's throat, and so would she be put to a shameful death for this mischievous deed. And when the damsel was thus slain, and the bloody knife in the Empress's hand, the Countess awaked out of her sleep, and saw by the light of the lamp, the bloody knife in the Empress's hand, wherefore she was almost out of her wits, and said, to the Earl, O my Lord! Behold in yonder Lady's hand, a wonderful thing.
The Earl awaked, and looked towards the Empress's bed, and saw the bloody knife, as the Countess had said: Wherefore he was greatly moved, and cried to her, and said, Awake woman out of sleep, what thing is this that I fee in thy hand: Then the Empress through his cry, awaked out of her
