namely, for honour, one for profit, and one for delight.
Each of the three thinks himself loved the best, but the first two are
as servants to the last."

"You speak," said Oisille, "of such women as have neither love nor
honour."

"Madam," said Saffredent, "there are some of the kind that I describe,
whom you reckon among the most honourable in the land."

"You may be sure," said Hircan, "that a crafty woman will be able to
live where all others die of hunger."

"And," said Longarine, "when their craftiness is discerned, 'tis death."

"Nay, 'tis life," said Simontault, "for they deem it no small glory
to be reputed more crafty than their fellows. And the reputation of
'crafty,' gained thus at their own expense, brings lovers more readily
under subjection to them than does their beauty, for one of the greatest
delights shared by those who are in love is to conduct the affair
slyly."

"You speak," said Ennasuite, "of wanton love, for the honourable has no
need of concealment."

"Ah!" said Dagoucin, "I pray you put that thought out of your head.
The more precious the drug, the less should it be exposed to the air,
because of the perverseness of those who trust only to outward signs.
These are not different in the case of honourable and faithful affection
than in any other case, so they must none the less be hidden when the
love is virtuous than when it is the opposite, if one would avoid the
evil opinion of those who cannot believe that a man may love a lady in
all honour, and who, being themselves slaves to pleasure, think every
one else the same. If we were all of good faith, look and speech would
be without concealment, at least toward those who would rather die than
take them in an evil sense."

"I protest to you, Dagoucin," said Hircan, "that your philosophy is too
deep for any man here to understand or believe. You would have us think
that men are angels, or stones, or devils."

"I am well aware," said Dagoucin, "that men are men and subject to every
passion, but there are some, nevertheless, who would rather die than
that their mistresses should, for their delight, do aught against their
consciences."

"To die means a great deal," said Geburon. "I would not believe that of
them were it uttered by the lips of the austerest monk alive."

"Nay, I believe," said Hircan, "that there is none but desires the very
opposite. But they make pretence of disliking the grapes when these hang
too high to be gathered