preceding tale may be herself. In any case the narrative
could only apply to the period of her first marriage, and
this was in no wise a love-match. Yet we are told at the
outset of the above story that the lady and gentleman had
married on account of the great affection between them. On
the other hand, these details may have been introduced the
better to conceal the identity of the persons referred to.--
Ed.

Now one day, when she had found that all her devices could not induce
him to make this journey to the Court, she perceived that he was very
pleasant in manner with a chamber-woman (2) she had, and thereupon
thought she might turn the matter to her own advantage. Taking the girl
apart, she questioned her cleverly, using both wiles and threats, in
such wise that the girl confessed that, ever since she had been in the
house, not a day had passed on which her master had not sought her love;
but (she added) she would rather die than do aught against God and her
honour, more especially after the honour which the lady had done her in
taking her into her service, for this would make such wickedness twice
as great.

2 The French expression here is _femme de chambre a
chaperon_. The _chaperon_ in this instance was a cap with a
band of velvet worn across it as a sign of gentle and even
noble birth. The attendant referred to above would therefore
probably be a young woman of good descent, constrained by
circumstances to enter domestic service.--B. J. and Ed.

On hearing of her husband's unfaithfulness, the lady immediately felt
both grief and joy. Her grief was that her husband, despite all his show
of loving her, should be secretly striving to put her to so much shame
in her own household, and this when she believed herself far more
beautiful and graceful than the woman whom he sought in her stead.
But she rejoiced to think that she might surprise her husband in such
manifest error that he would no longer be able to reproach her with her
lovers, nor with her desire to dwell at Court; and, to bring this about,
she begged the girl gradually to grant her husband what he sought upon
certain conditions that she made known to her.

The girl was minded to make some difficulty, but when her mistress
warranted the safety both of her life and of her honour, she consented
to do whatever might be her pleasure.

The gentleman, on continuing his pursuit of the girl,