n from the subject, it is not fitting that
the subject's secret should be revealed to the King. Be content with
knowing that those who wear horns do not always have their caps raised
from their heads. Some horns are so soft that they never uncap one, and
especially are they light to him who thinks he has them not."

The King perceived by these words that the gentleman knew something of
his own behaviour, but he never had any suspicion of the love between
him and the Queen; for the more pleased the latter was with the life led
by her husband, the more did she feign to be distressed by it. And so on
either side they lived in this love, until at last old age took them in
hand.

"Here, ladies, is a story by which you may be guided, for, as I
willingly confess, it shows you that when your husbands give you bucks'
horns you can give them stags' horns in return."

"I am quite sure, Saffredent," began Ennasuite laughing, "that if you
still love as ardently as you were formerly wont to do, you would
submit to horns as big as oak-trees if only you might repay them as
you pleased. However, now that your hair is growing grey, it is time to
leave your desires in peace."

"Fair lady," said Saffredent, "though I be robbed of hope by the woman I
love, and of ardour by old age, yet it lies not in my power to weaken
my inclination. Since you have rebuked me for so honourable a desire,
I give you my vote for the telling of the fourth tale, that we may see
whether you can bring forward some example to refute me."

During this converse one of the ladies fell to laughing heartily,
knowing that she who took Saffredent's words to herself was not so loved
by him that he would have suffered horns, shame, or wrong for her sake.
When Saffredent perceived that the lady who laughed understood him, he
was well satisfied and became silent, so that Ennasuite might begin;
which she did as follows--

"In order, ladies, that Saffredent and the rest of the company may know
that all ladies are not like the Queen he has spoken of, and that all
foolhardy and venturesome men do not compass their ends, I will tell
you a story in which I will acquaint you with the opinion of a lady who
deemed the vexation of failure in love to be harder of endurance than
death itself. However, I shall give no names, because the events are so
fresh in people's minds that I should fear to offend some who are near
of kin."

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