- After this child has nursed only a little while, Walter decides to test his wife's patience and constancy. He can't get the thought out of his head, even though he knows testing Grisilde is needless.
- Walter has certainly tried Grisilde enough before, and he's found her always true. Why does he need to tempt her more and more?
- Our clerk-narrator jumps in to say that as for him, he thinks it's an evil thing to test a wife when there's no need, and put her in anguish and dread.
- In order to test Grisilde, Walter does the following: one night, he comes alone to her room where she is lying down, and with a stern face, he says the following:
- "Hey, Griz. I guess you haven't forgotten the day that I brought you out of poverty into high estate. That was a big deal, right?
- "I don't think you've forgotten that you used to be broke.
- "Now, I'm going to say something to you, so listen up; nobody else will hear it but you and me.
- "You know yourself how you came to this house not long ago.
- "I think you're the bee's knees, but my gentlemen think you're chopped liver.
- "They say it's a total shame for them to subject to someone as low as you.
- "They've been saying this even more now that your daughter was born.
- "I want to have peace with my nobles, as I have always done before.
- "In this case, I can't be rash. I've got to do with your daughter what's for the best; I've got to do not what I want to do but what my people want me to do.
- "I mean, it's totally loathsome to me, but what can you do.
- "Nevertheless, without your knowledge, I will not do this thing.
- "Agree to this thing, and in so doing, show me the patience you swore to me in your village on the day we were married."
- When Grisilde hears this, she gives no sign that she is upset—not in word, manner, or facial expression.
- Grisilde says that everything must be as Walter wishes; she and her child belong to him, and he must save or destroy his possessions as he desires. There is nothing he likes that displeases her; she desires nothing but him.
- Walter is totally psyched about Grisilde's answer, but he pretends he doesn't care and maintains his dreary manner as he leaves the chamber.
- About fifteen minutes later, Walter privately tells his intentions to a man and sends him to Grisilde.
- This man is a sergeant whom Walter has found faithful to him in great matters. In bad matters, too, such folk can succeed.
- Walter knows that the sergeant loves and fears him.
- When this sergeant knows his lord's will, he stalks into Grisilde's chamber.
- "Madame," the sergeant says to Grisilde, "you must forgive me for doing something I am constrained to do.
- "You're smart. You know that a lord's commands have to be obeyed. You can gripe about these commands all you want, but you've got to obey them. So, yeah, long story short: I'm commanded to take this tyke."
- The sergeant takes Grisilde's daughter from her arms. He acts as if he is going to kill her daughter before he leaves.
- Grisilde must suffer and consent to this.
- Grisilde sits as meek and still as a lamb and lets the sergeant do as he wishes.
- This sergeant is kind of a suspicious dude. Grisilde think she's weird.
- Alas! Grisilde loves her daughter so much and now must see her slain.
- Nevertheless, Grisilde neither weeps nor sighs. She was commanded not to, after all.
- But at last Grisilde begins to speak.
- Meekly, Grisilde requests that the sergeant allow her to kiss her child before it dies.
- Grisilde lays the little child on her breast with a sad face and begins to kiss and rock the child. Finally, she blesses the child. She says farewell and says that a nurse would find this case very painful.
- Nonetheless, Grisilde remains sober and steadfast in the face of adversity.
- Grisilde tells the sergeant to take the girl away now but asks him, unless Walter forbids it, to bury the child's body in some place where birds and beasts can't tear it.
- The sergeant doesn't respond. He just takes the child and goes on his way.
- The sergeant again comes before Walter and tells him about Grisilde's words and behavior. He gives him the complete blow-by-blow of how she behaved. Then he presents the lord with his daughter.
- Walter appears to feel a bit of pity, but he keeps to his purpose, as lords will do when they decide upon something.
- Walter orders his sergeant to wrap the child tightly and carry it in a coffer or cloth. The sergeant should make sure that no one knows what's up with him or the child.
- Walter tells the sergeant to take the child to Bologna to his sister Panago for fostering, and to ask her to do her best to bring up the child in a noble way.
- Walter tells the sergeant to ask Panago to hide the true identity of the child from everyone, no matter what happens.
- The sergeant leaves and fulfills Walter's commands.
- Now we return to Walter, who quickly goes to his wife,wondering if he will see by her face, behavior, or words that she has changed.
- Walter doesn't notice anything different in Grisilde's behavior. She is sober and kind and as happy, humble, loving, and ready to serve as she's ever been.
- Grisilde never speaks a word about her daughter.