What I did was to turn you from your evil
ways, so that in your old age we might live together in true love and
repose of conscience. If you purpose to continue your past life, I had
rather be severed from you than daily see before my eyes the ruin of
your soul, body, and estate. But if you will acknowledge the evil of
your ways, and resolve to live in fear of God and obedience to His
commandments, I will forget all your past sins, as I trust God will
forget my ingratitude in not loving Him as I ought to do."

If ever man was reduced to despair it was this unhappy husband. Not only
had he abandoned this sensible, fair, and chaste wife for a woman who
did not love him, but, worse than this, he had without her knowledge
made her a strumpet by causing another man to participate in the leasure
which should have been for himself alone; and thus he had made himself
horns of everlasting derision. However, seeing his wife in such wrath
by reason of the love he had borne his maid-servant, he took care not
to tell her of the evil trick that he had played her; and entreating her
forgiveness, with promises of full amendment of his former evil life,
he gave her back the ring which he had recovered from his friend. He
entreated the latter not to reveal his shame; but, as what is whispered
in the ear is always proclaimed from the housetop, the truth, after
a time, became known, and men called him cuckold without imputing any
shame to his wife.

"It seems to me, ladies, that if all those who have committed like
offences against their wives were to be punished in the same way, Hircan
and Saffredent would have great cause for fear."

"Why, Longarine," said Saffredent, "are none in the company married save
Hircan and I?"

"Yes, indeed there are others," she replied, "but none who would play a
similar trick."

"Whence did you learn," asked Saffredent, "that we ever solicited our
wives' maid-servants?"

"If the ladies who are in question," said Longarine, "were willing to
speak the truth, we should certainly hear of maid-servants dismissed
without notice."

"Truly," said Geburon, "you are a most worthy lady! You promised to make
the company laugh, and yet are angering these two poor gentlemen."

"Tis all one," said Longarine: "so long as they do not draw their
swords, their anger will only serve to increase our laughter."

"A pretty business indeed!" said Hircan. "Why, if our wives chose to
believe this lady, she would embroil th