“I think,” said Nomerfide, “that you must know of one overflowing with such goodness, and so I give you my vote that you may tell us of her.”

“Since you have guessed so well,” said Simontault, “I will indeed tell you of her, but you must promise not to weep.  Those who declare, ladies, that your craftiness surpasses that of men would find it hard to bring forward such an instance as I am now about to relate, wherein I propose to show you not only the exceeding craftiness of a husband, but also the simplicity and goodness of his wife.”

[Illustration:  162.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration:  163a.jpg The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]

[The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]

[Illustration:  163.jpg Page Image]

TALE XLIV. (B).

     Concerning the subtlety of two lovers in the enjoyment of
     their love, and the happy issue of the latter. (1)

     1 This is the tale given by Gruget in his edition of the
     Heptameron, in lieu of the preceding one.—­Ed.

In the city of Paris there lived two citizens of middling condition, of whom one had a profession, while the other was a silk mercer.  These two were very old friends and constant companions, and so it happened that the son of the former, a young man, very presentable in good company, and called James, used often by his father’s favour to visit the mercer’s house.  This, however, he did for the sake of the mercer’s beautiful daughter named Frances, whom he loved; and so well did James contrive matters with her, that he came to know her to be no less loving than loved.

Whilst matters were in this state, however, a camp was formed in Provence in view of withstanding the descent of Charles of Austria, (2) and James, being called upon the list, was obliged to betake himself to the army.  At the very beginning of the campaign his father passed from life into death, the tidings whereof brought him double sorrow, on the one part for the loss of his father, and on the other for the difficulty he should have on his return in seeing his sweetheart as often as he had hoped.

2 Charles V. entered Provence by way of Piedmont in the summer of 1536, and invested Marseilles.  A scarcity of supplies and much sickness among his troops compelled him, however, to raise the siege.—­M.

As time went on, the first of these griefs was forgotten and the other increased.  Since death is a natural thing, and for the most part befalls the father before the children, the sadness it causes gradually disappears; but love, instead of bringing us death, brings us life through the procreation of children, in whom we have immortality, and this it is which chiefly causes our desires to increase.