ht devour it at his ease."

"For all that," said Dagoucin, "I cannot believe that he loved her, or
that the virtuous god of love could dwell in so base a heart."

"Be that as it may," said Oisille, "he was well punished, and I pray God
that like attempts may meet with the same chastisement. But to whom will
you give your vote?"

"To you, madam," replied Geburon; "you will, I know, not fail to tell us
a good story."

"Since it is my turn," said Oisille, "I will relate to you one that is
indeed excellent, seeing that the adventure befel in my own day, and
before the eyes of him who told it to me. You are, I am sure, aware
that death ends all our woes, and this being so, it may be termed our
happiness and tranquil rest. It is, therefore, a misfortune if a man
desires death and cannot obtain it, and so the most grievous punishment
that can be given to a wrongdoer is not death, but a continual torment,
great enough to render death desirable, but withal too slight to bring
it nearer. And this was how a husband used his wife, as you shall hear."

[Illustration: 0016.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration: 017a.jpg Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance]

[Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance]

[Illustration: 017.jpg Page Image

_TALE XXXII_.

_Bernage, learning in what patience and humility a German
lady submitted to the strange penance laid upon her for her
unchastity by her husband, so persuaded the latter that he
forgot the past, showed pity to his wife, and, taking her
back again, afterwards had by her some very handsome
children_.

King Charles, eighth of the name, sent into Germany a gentleman called
Bernage, Lord of Sivray, near Amboise, (1) who to make good speed spared
not to travel both by day and night. In this wise he came very late one
evening to a gentleman's castle, where he asked for lodging, a request
which was not granted him without great difficulty.

1 Bernage, Bernaige, or Vernaiges, as the name is diversely
written in the MSS. of the _Heptameron_, was in 1495 equerry
to Charles VIII., a post which brought him an annual salary
of 300 livres.--See Godefroy's _Histoire de Charles VIII_.,
p. 705. Civray, near Chenonceaux, on the Cher, was a fief of
the barony of Amboise. In 1483 we find a certain John
Goussart doing homage for it to the crown.--Archives
Nationales, Section Domaniale, cote 3801.--L.