His wife immediately rose up and lit the candle, and found that it was the serving-woman who slept in their room; and she, throwing herself upon her knees, entreated forgiveness and promised to confess the truth.  This was, that she had long loved a serving-man of the house, and had taken this fine mystery in hand in order to drive both master and mistress away, so that she and her lover, having sole charge of the house, might be able to make good cheer as they were wont to do when alone.  My Lord of Grignaulx, who was a somewhat harsh man, commanded that they should be soundly beaten so as to prevent them from ever forgetting the ghost, and this having been done, they were driven away.  In this fashion was the house freed from the plaguy ghosts who for two years long had played their pranks in it. (5)

5 Talleyrand, who passes for having been the last of the “Rois des Ribauds” (see the Bibliophile Jacob’s historical novel of that title), was, like his descendant the great diplomatist, a man of subtle and caustic humour.  Brantome, in his article on Anne of Brittany in Les Dames Illustres, repeatedly refers to him, and relates that on an occasion when the Queen wished to say a few words in Spanish to the Emperor’s ambassador—­there was a project of marrying her daughter Claude to Charles V.—­she applied to Grignols to teach her a sentence or two of the Castilian language.  He, however, taught her some dirty expression, but was careful to warn Louis XII., who laughed at it, telling his wife on no account to use the Spanish words she had learnt.  On discovering the truth, Anne was so greatly vexed, that Grignols was obliged to withdraw from Court for some time, and only with difficulty obtained the Queen’s forgiveness.—­ L. and Ed.

“It is wonderful, ladies, to think of the effects wrought by the mighty god of Love.  He causes women to put aside all fear, and teaches them to give every sort of trouble to man in order to work their own ends.  But if the purpose of the serving-woman calls for blame, the sound sense of the master is no less worthy of praise.  He knew that when the spirit departs, it returns no more.” (6)

     6 “A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.”—­Psalm
     lxxviii. 39.—­M.

“In sooth,” said Geburon, “love showed little favour to the man and the maid, but I agree that the sound sense of the master was of great advantage to him.”

“Nevertheless,” said Ennasuite, “the maid through her cunning lived for a long time at her ease.”

“’Tis but a sorry ease,” said Oisille, “that is founded upon sin and that ends in shame and chastisement.”

“That is true, madam,” said Ennasuite, “but many persons reap pain and sorrow by living righteously, and lacking wit enough to procure themselves in all their lives as much pleasure as these two.”

“It is nevertheless my opinion,” said Oisille, “that there can be no perfect pleasure unless the conscience be at rest.”