wickedness and
treachery are prevalent enough, and for this reason the shepherd who is
not vigilant will always be deceived by the wiles of the wolf."

"Still," said Dagoucin, "a suspicious person cannot have a perfect
friend, and many friends have been parted by bare suspicion."

"If you should know any such instance," thereupon said Oisille, "I will
give you my vote that you may relate it."

"I know one," said Dagoucin, "which is so strictly true that you will
hear it with pleasure. I will tell you, ladies, when it is that close
friendship is most readily broken off; it is when the security of
friendship begins to give place to suspicion. For just as to trust a
friend is the greatest honour one can do him, so is doubt of him the
greatest dishonour, inasmuch as it proves that he is deemed other than
one would have him to be, and in this wise many close friendships are
broken off and friends turned into foes. This you will see from the
story that I am now about to relate."

[Illustration: 201.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration: 203a.jpg The Gentleman reproaching his Friend for his Jealousy]

[The Gentleman reproaching his Friend for his Jealousy]

[Illustration: 203.jpg Page Image]

_TALE XLVII_.

_Two gentlemen lined in such perfect friendship that for a
great while they had everything excepting a wife in common,
until one was married, when without cause he began to
suspect his companion, who, in vexation at being wrongfully
suspected, withdrew his friendship, and did not rest till he
had made the other a cuckold_.

Not far from the province of Le Perche (1) there dwelt two gentlemen who
from the days of their childhood had lived in such perfect friendship
that they had but one heart, one house, one bed, one table, and one
purse. They continued living in this perfect friendship for a long time,
without there ever being between them any wish or word such as might
betray that they were different persons; so truly did they live not
merely like two brothers but like one individual man.

1 Between Normandy and Maine. Its chief town was Mortagne.

Of the two one married, yet did not on that account abate his friendship
for his fellow or cease to live with him as had been his wont. And
whenever they chanced to lodge where room was scanty, he failed not to
make him sleep with himself and his wife; (2) though he did, in truth,
himself lie in the middle. Their goods were all