have reaped a double pleasure—­contentment in love and satisfaction at duping her lover, who, like he who seeks the Philosopher’s Stone, would have toiled hard to discover and identify her, without ever succeeding in doing so.”—­(Lalanne’s OEuvres de Brantome, pp. 236-8).—­M.

“By this tale, ladies, you may see how one who preferred the world’s esteem to a good conscience lost both the one and the other.  For now may the eyes of all men read what she strove to hide from those of her lover, and so, whilst fleeing the derision of one, she has incurred the derision of all.  Nor can she be held excused on the score of simplicity and artless love, for which all men should have pity, but she must be condemned twice over for having concealed her wickedness with the twofold cloak of honour and glory, and for making herself appear before God and man other than she really was.  He, however, who gives not His glory to another, took this cloak from off her and so brought her to double shame.”

“Her wickedness,” said Oisille, “was without excuse.  None can defend her when God, Honour, and even Love are her accusers.”

“Nay,” said Hircan, “Pleasure and Folly may; they are the true chief advocates of the ladies.”

“If we had no other advocates,” said Parlamente, “than those you name, our cause would indeed be ill supported; but those who are vanquished by pleasure ought no longer to be called women but rather men, whose reputation is merely exalted by frenzy and lust.  When a man takes vengeance upon his enemy and slays him for giving him the lie, he is deemed all the more honourable a gentleman for it; and so, too, when he loves a dozen women besides his own wife.  But the reputation of women has a different foundation, that, namely, of gentleness, patience and chastity.”

“You speak of the discreet,” said Hircan.

“Yes,” returned Parlamente, “because I will know none others.”

“If none were wanton,” said Nomerfide, “those who would fain be believed by all the world must often have lied.”

“Pray, Nomerfide,” said Geburon, “receive my vote, and forget that you are a woman, in order that we may learn what some men that are accounted truthful say of the follies of your sex.”

“Since virtue compels me to it, and you have made it my turn, I will tell you what I know.  I have not heard any lady or gentleman present speak otherwise than to the disadvantage of the Grey Friars, and out of pity I have resolved to speak well of them in the story that I am now about to relate.”

[Illustration:  155.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration:  157.jpg Page Image]

TALE XLIV.(A).

     In reward for not having concealed the truth, the Lord of
     Sedan doubled the alms of a Grey Friar, who thus received
     two pigs instead of one. (1)

To the castle of Sedan once came a Grey Friar to ask my Lady of Sedan, who was of the house of Crouy, (2) for a pig, which she was wont to give to his Order every year as alms.