kle come forward
and point to an instance of as good a husband as this lady was a good
wife, and of one having like faith and steadfastness. I am sure they
would find it so difficult to do this, that I will release them from
the task rather than put them to such exceeding toil. But as for you,
ladies, I would pray you, for the sake of maintaining your own fair
fame, either to love not at all, or else to love as perfectly as she
did. And let none among you say that this lady offended against her
honour, seeing that her constancy has served to heighten our own."

"In good sooth, Parlamente," said Oisille, "you have indeed told us
the story of a woman possessed of a noble and honourable heart; but her
constancy derives half its lustre from the faithlessness of a husband
that could leave her for another."

"I think," said Longarine, "that the grief so caused must have been
the hardest to bear. There is none so heavy that the love of two united
lovers cannot support it; but when one fails in his duty, and leaves
the whole of the burden to the other, the load becomes too heavy to be
endured."

"Then you ought to pity us," said Geburon, "for we have to bear the
whole burden of love, and you will not put out the tip of a finger to
relieve us."

"Ah, Geburon," said Parlamente, "the burdens of men and of women are
often different enough. The love of a woman, being founded on godliness
and honour, is just and reasonable, and any man that is false to it must
be reckoned a coward, and a sinner against God and man. On the other
hand, most men love only with reference to pleasure, and women, being
ignorant of their ill intent, are sometimes ensnared; but when God shows
them how vile is the heart of the man whom they deemed good, they may
well draw back to save their honour and reputation, for soonest ended is
best mended."

"Nay, that is a whimsical idea of yours," said Hircan, "to hold that an
honourable woman may in all honour betray the love of a man; but that
a man may not do as much towards a woman. You would make out that the
heart of the one differs from that of the other; but for my part, in
spite of their differences in countenance and dress, I hold them to
be alike in inclination, except indeed that the guilt which is best
concealed is the worst."

Thereto Parlamente replied with some heat--

"I am well aware that in your opinion the best women are those whose
guilt is known."

"Let us leave this discourse," said