Charles V. entered Provence by way of Piedmont in the
summer of 1536, and invested Marseilles. A scarcity of
supplies and much sickness among his troops compelled him,
however, to raise the siege.--M.

As time went on, the first of these griefs was forgotten and the other
increased. Since death is a natural thing, and for the most part
befalls the father before the children, the sadness it causes gradually
disappears; but love, instead of bringing us death, brings us life
through the procreation of children, in whom we have immortality, and
this it is which chiefly causes our desires to increase.

James, therefore, when he had returned to Paris, thought or cared for
nothing save how he might renew his frequent visits to the mercer's
house, and so, under cloak of pure friendship for him, traffic in his
dearest wares. On the other hand, during his absence, Frances had been
urgently sought by others, both because of her beauty and of her wit,
and also because she was long since come to marriageable years; but
whether it was that her father was avaricious, or that, since she was
his only daughter, he was over anxious to establish her well, he failed
to perform his duty in the matter. This, however, tended but little to
her honour, for in these days people speak ill of one long before they
have any reason to do so, and particularly in aught that concerns the
chastity of a beautiful woman or maid. Her father did not shut his ears
or eyes to the general gossip, nor seek resemblance with many others
who, instead of rebuking wrongdoing, seem rather to incite their wives
and children to it, for he kept her with such strictness that even those
who sought her with offers of marriage could see her but seldom, and
then only in presence of her mother.

It were needless to ask whether James found all this hard of endurance.
He could not conceive that such rigour should be without weighty reason,
and therefore wavered greatly between love and jealousy. However, he
resolved at all risks to learn the cause, but wished first of all to
know whether her affection was the same as before; he therefore set
about this, and coming one morning to church, he placed himself near her
to hear mass, and soon perceived by her countenance that she was no less
glad to see him than he was to see her. Accordingly, knowing that the
mother was less stern than the father, he was sometimes, when he met
them on their way to church, bold enough t