he foulest, dirtiest spot in the
whole place, where she found herself stuck fast as though with glue, her
poor hips, garments, and feet being so contaminated that she durst not
take a step or turn on any side, for fear lest she should meet with
something worse. Thereupon she began to call out as loudly as she
could--

"La Mothe, my child, I am ruined and undone!"

The poor girl, who had formerly heard tell of the wickedness of the Grey
Friars, and imagined that some of them were hidden there and were trying
to take her mistress by force, thereupon ran off as hard as she could,
saying to every one she met--

"Come and help Madame de Roncex; the Grey Friars are trying to ravish
her in yonder privy."

They thereupon hastened thither with all speed, and found the unhappy
lady crying out for assistance, longing for some woman to come and
cleanse her, and with her back parts all uncovered, for she feared to
touch them with her garments lest these also should be defiled.

The gentlemen, coming in at her cries, beheld this fine sight, but could
see nought of the Grey Friars, unless it were their ordure clinging to
her hips; nor did this pass without laughter on their part and great
shame on hers, for instead of having women to cleanse her, she was
waited on by men, who saw her naked, and in the sorriest plight in which
a woman could be found. For this reason, on perceiving them, she
soiled what was still clean, by dropping her garments in order to cover
herself, forgetting the filth that she was in for the shame she felt at
sight of the men. And when she had come out of that foul place it was
necessary to strip her naked and change all her garments before she
could leave the monastery. She was minded to be angry with La Mothe for
the aid that she had brought her, but finding that the poor girl had
thought her in a yet more evil plight, she put aside her wrath and
laughed like the rest. (3)

3 It is impossible to identify the lady mentioned in this
story, her name being spelt in so many ways in the various
MSS. of the _Heptameron_. It is given as Roncex in the copy
here followed, as Roubex in a copy that belonged to Louis
XVIII., and as Roncci in the De Thou MS., whilst Boaistuau
printed it as Roucey. The Madame de la Tremoille, alluded to
at the outset, is believed by Lacroix and Dillaye to have
been Anne de Laval (daughter of Guy XV., Count of Laval, and
of Charlotte of Ara