to praise the President's conscience,
but rather to bring out the frailty of a woman and the great patience
and prudence of a man. And I beg you, ladies, be not angered by the
truth, which sometimes speaks as loudly against ourselves as against the
men; for vice and virtue are common alike to men and women."

"If all those," said Parlamente, "who have fallen in love with their
servants were obliged to eat salads of that kind, I know some who would
be less fond of their gardens than they are at present, and who would
pluck up the herbs to get rid of such as restore the honour of a family
by compassing the death of a wanton mother."

Hircan, who guessed why she had said this, angrily replied--"A virtuous
woman should never judge another guilty of what she would not do
herself."

"Knowledge is not judgment nor yet foolishness," returned Parlamente.
"However, this poor woman paid the penalty that many others have
deserved, and I think that the President, when desirous of vengeance,
comported himself with wondrous prudence and wisdom."

"And with great malevolence, also," said Longarine. "'Twas a slow and
cruel vengeance, and showed he had neither God nor conscience before his
eyes."

"Why, what would you have had him do," said Hircan, "to revenge himself
for the greatest wrong that a woman can deal to a man?"

"I would have had him kill her in his wrath," she replied. "The doctors
say that since the first impulses of passion are not under a man's
control, such a sin may be forgiven; so it might have obtained pardon."
"Yes," said Geburon, "but his daughters and descendants would have
always borne the stain."

"He ought not to have killed her at all," said Longarine, "for, when
his wrath was past, she might have lived with him in virtue, and nothing
would ever have been said about the matter."

"Do you think," said Saffredent, "that he was appeased merely because he
concealed his anger? For my part, I believe that he was as wrathful on
the last day, when he made his salad, as he had been on the first, for
there are persons whose first impulses have no rest until their passion
has worked its will. I am well pleased you say that the theologians deem
such sins easy to be pardoned, for I am of their opinion."

"It is well to look to one's words," said Longarine, "in presence of
persons so dangerous as you. What I said is to be understood of passion
when it is so strong that it suddenly seizes upon all the senses, and
r