e
made a pretence of approving his discourse. He then believed he had won
her, and, paying no heed to her age, which was that of fifty years, or
to her lack of beauty, or her reputation as a virtuous woman attached to
her husband, he urged his suit continually.

One day, the husband being in the house, the wife and her suitor were in
a large room together, when she pretended that he had but to find some
safe spot in order to have such private converse with her as he desired.
He immediately replied that it was only necessary to go up to the
garret. She instantly rose, and begged him to go first, saying that
she would follow. Smiling with as sweet a countenance as that of a big
baboon entertaining a friend, he went lightly up the stairway; and,
on the tip-toe of expectation with regard to that which he so greatly
desired, burning with a fire not clear, like that of juniper, but dense
like that of coal in the furnace, he listened whether she was coming
after him. But instead of hearing her footsteps, he heard her voice
saying--

"Wait, master secretary, for a little; I am going to find out whether it
be my husband's pleasure that I should go up to you."

His face when laughing was ugly indeed, and you may imagine, ladies, how
it looked when he wept; but he came down instantly, with tears in his
eyes, and besought her for the love of God not to say aught that would
destroy the friendship between his comrade and himself.

"I am sure," she replied, "that you like him too well to say anything he
may not hear. I shall therefore go and tell him of the matter."

And this, in spite of all his entreaties and threats, she did. And if
his shame thereat was great as he fled the place, the husband's joy
was no less on hearing of the honourable deception that his wife had
practised; indeed, so pleased was he with his wife's virtue that he
took no notice of his comrade's viciousness, deeming him sufficiently
punished inasmuch as the shame he had thought to work in another's
household had fallen upon his own head.

"I think that from this tale honest people should learn not to admit to
their houses those whose conscience, heart and understanding know nought
of God, honour and true love."

"Though your tale be short," said Oisille, "it is as pleasant as any I
have heard, and it is to the honour of a virtuous woman."

"'Fore God," said Simontault, "it is no great honour for a virtuous
woman to refuse a man so ugly as you represent