her promise to him, and while he was playing she passed
through the room, making a sign to her mistress which signified that
she was about to set out on the pilgrimage she had to make. The sign was
clearly seen by the lady, but her husband perceived nothing of it.

An hour later, however, one of his servants made him a sign from a
distance, whereupon he told his wife that his head ached somewhat, and
that he must needs rest and take the air. She, knowing the nature of his
sickness as well as he did himself, asked him whether she should play
in his stead, and he consented, saying that he would very soon return.
However, she assured him that she could take his place for a couple of
hours without weariness.

So the gentleman withdrew to his room, and thence by an alley into his
park.

The lady, who knew another and shorter way, waited for a little while,
and then, suddenly feigning to be seized with colic, gave her hand at
play to another.

As soon as she was out of the room, she put off her high-heeled shoes
and ran as quickly as she could to the place, where she had no desire
that the bargain should be struck without her. And so speedily did she
arrive, that, when she entered the room by another door, her husband was
but just come in. Then, hiding herself behind the door, she listened to
the fair and honest discourse that he held to her maid. But when she
saw that he was coming near to the criminal point, she seized him from
behind, saying--

"Nay, I am too near that you should take another."

It is needless to ask whether the gentleman was in extreme wrath, both
at being balked of the delight he had looked to obtain, and at having
his wife, whose affection he now greatly feared to lose for ever, know
more of him than he desired. He thought, however, that the plot had been
contrived by the girl, and (without speaking to his wife) he ran after
her with such fury that, had not his wife rescued her from his hands,
he would have killed her. He declared that she was the wickedest jade
he had ever known, and that, if his wife had waited to see the end, she
would have found that he was only mocking her, for, instead of doing
what she expected, he would have chastised her with rods.

But his wife, knowing what words of the sort were worth, set no value
upon them, and addressed such reproaches to him that he was in great
fear lest she should leave him. He promised her all that she asked,
and, after her sage reproaches, co