dance, although,
from the little that had passed between them, he well knew that time and
place alone were wanting to crown their loves.

He therefore went to his good father, the rich man, and told him that he
deeply desired to make a pilgrimage to our Lady of Montferrat, (4) for
which reason he begged him to house his followers, seeing that he wished
to go alone.

4 The famous monastery of Montserrate, at eight leagues
from Barcelona, where is preserved the ebony statue of the
Virgin carrying the Infant Jesus, which is traditionally
said to have been carved by St. Luke, and to have been
brought to Spain by St. Peter.--See _Libro de la historia y
milagros hechos a invocation de Nuestra Seilora de
Montserrate_, Barcelona, 1556, 8vo.--Ed.

To this the rich man agreed; but his wife, in whose heart was that great
soothsayer, Love, forthwith suspected the true nature of the journey,
and could not refrain from saying--

"My lord, my lord, the Lady you adore is not without the walls of
this town, so I pray that you will have in all matters a care for your
health."

At this he, who both feared and loved her, blushed so deeply that,
without speaking a word, he confessed the truth; and so he went away.

Having bought a couple of handsome Spanish horses, he dressed himself
as a groom, and disguised his face in such a manner that none could know
him. The gentleman who was husband to the wanton lady, and who loved
horses more than aught beside, saw the two that the Lord of Avannes
was leading, and forthwith offered to buy them. When he had done so, he
looked at the groom, who was managing the horses excellently well, and
asked whether he would enter his service. The Lord of Avannes replied
that he would; saying that he was but a poor groom, who knew no trade
except the caring of horses, but in this he could do so well that he
would assuredly give satisfaction. At this the gentleman was pleased,
and having given him the charge of all his horses, entered his house,
and told his wife that he was leaving for the castle, and confided his
horses and groom to her keeping.

The lady, as much to please her husband as for her own diversion, went
to see the horses, and looked at the new groom, who seemed to her to be
well favoured, though she did not at all recognise him. Seeing that
he was not recognised, he came up to do her reverence in the Spanish
fashion and kissed her hand, and, in doing so,