d not
left the dance.

"A pretty dance!" said the poor girl. "This is the third time that you
have come to bed. I think you would do better to sleep."

The husband was greatly astonished on hearing these words, and set aside
thought of everything else in order that he might learn the truth of
what had passed.

When his wife had told him the story, he at once suspected the Grey
Friars who were lodged in the house, and forthwith rising, he went into
their room, which was close beside his own.

Not finding them there, he began to call out for help in so loud a voice
that he speedily drew together all his friends, who, when they had heard
the tale, assisted him with candles, lanterns, and all the dogs of the
village to hunt for the Grey Friars.

Not finding them in the house, they made all diligence, and so caught
them among the vines, where they treated them as they deserved; for,
after soundly beating them, they cut off their arms and legs, and left
them among the vines to the care of Bacchus and Venus, of whom they had
been better disciples than of St. Francis.

"Be not amazed, ladies, if such folk, being cut off from our usual
mode of life, do things of which adventurers (2) even would be ashamed.
Wonder rather that they do no worse when God withdraws his hand from
them, for so little does the habit make the monk, that it often unmakes
him through the pride it lends him. For my own part, I go not beyond the
religion that is taught by St. James, who has told us to 'keep the
heart pure and unspotted toward God, and to show all charity to our
neighbours.'"(3)

2 This is an allusion to the dismissed French Swiss, and
German lansquenets who roamed about France in little bands,
kidnapping, plundering, and at times hiring themselves out
as spadassins. These men, the pests of the country, were
commonly known by the name of adventurers.--B. J.

3 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction
and to keep himself unspotted from the world."--_James_ i.
27.--Ed.

"Heavens!" said Oisille, "shall we never have done with tales about
these tiresome Grey Friars?"

Then said Ennasuite--

"If, ladies, princes and gentlemen are not spared, the Grey Friars, it
seems to me, are highly honoured by being noticed. They are so useless
that, were it not that they often do evil things worthy of remembrance,
they wou