This tale was commended by all in the company, (6) but it gave rise to different opinions among them, for whilst some maintained that the gentleman had done his duty in saving his own life and his sister’s honour, as well as in ridding his country of such a tyrant, others denied this, and said it was rank ingratitude to slay one who had bestowed on him such wealth and station.  The ladies declared that the gentleman was a good brother and a worthy citizen; the men, on the contrary, that he was a treacherous and wicked servant.

     6 In MS. No. 1520 (Bib.  Nat.) this sentence begins:  “The
     tale was attentively listened to by all,” &c.—­L.

And pleasant was it to hear the reasons which were brought forward on both sides; but the ladies, as is their wont, spoke as much from passion as from judgment, saying that the Duke was so well worthy of death that he who struck him down was a happy man indeed.

Then Dagoucin, seeing what a controversy he had set on foot, said to them—­

“In God’s name, ladies, do not quarrel about a thing that is past and gone.  Take care rather that your own charms do not occasion more cruel murders than the one which I have related.”

“‘La belle Dame sans Mercy,’” (7) replied Parlamente, “has taught us to say that but few die of so pleasing an ailment.”

7 La belle Dame sans Merci (The Pitiless Beauty) is one of Alain Chartier’s best known poems.  It is written in the form of a dialogue between a lady and her lover:  the former having obstinately refused to take compassion on the sufferings of her admirer, the latter is said to have died of despair.  The lines alluded to by Margaret are spoken by the lady, and are to the following effect—­“So graceful a malady seldom puts men to death; yet the sooner to obtain comfort, it is fitting one should say that it did.  Some complain and worry greatly who have not really felt the most bitter affliction; and if indeed Love doth cause such great torment, surely it were better there should be but one sufferer rather than two.”  The poem, as here quoted, will be found in Andre Duchesne’s edition of the OEuvres de Maistre Alain Chartier, Paris, 1617, p. 502.—­L.

“Would to God, madam,” answered Dagoucin, “that all the ladies in this company knew how false that saying is.  I think they would then scarcely wish to be called pitiless, or to imitate that unbelieving beauty who suffered a worthy lover to die for lack of a gracious answer to his suit.”

“So,” said Parlamente, “you would have us risk honour and conscience to save the life of a man who says he loves us.”

“That is not my meaning,” replied Dagoucin, “for he who loves with a perfect love would be even more afraid of hurting his lady’s honour than would she herself.  I therefore think that an honourable and graceful response, such as is called for by perfect and seemly love, must tend to the increase of honour and the satisfaction of conscience, for no true lover could seek the contrary.”