ing, so as to
please them the more."

"Softly, softly, Simontault," said Parlamente; "you forget yourself.
Have you laid aside your accustomed modesty to don it only in time of
necessity?"

"No, madam, no," said he; "'twas the unworthy monk that led me astray.
Wherefore, that we may return to the matter in hand, I beg Nomerfide,
who caused my offence, to give her vote to some one who will make the
company forget our common fault."

"Since you include me in your transgression," said Nomerfide, "I will
choose one who will atone for our failings, that is Dagoucin. He is so
discreet that to save his life he would not say a foolish thing."

[Illustration: 100.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration: 101a.jpg The Gentleman killing the Duke]

[The Gentleman killing the Duke]

[Illustration: 101.jpg Page Image]

_TALE XII_.

_The Duke of Florence, having continually failed to make
known to a certain lady the love he bore her, confided in
her brother, and begged his assistance that he might attain
his ends. This, after many remonstrances, the brother agreed
to give, but it was a lip-promise only, for at the moment
when the Duke was expecting to vanquish her whom he had
deemed invincible, the gentleman slew him in his bed, in
this fashion freeing his country from a tyrant, and saving
both his own life and the honour of his house_. (1)

1 The basis of this story is historical. The event here
described--one of the most famous in the annals of
Florence--furnished Alfred de Musset with the subject of his
play _Lorenzaccio_, and served as the foundation of _The
Traitor_, considered to be Shirley's highest achievement as
a dramatic poet. As Queen Margaret's narrative contains
various errors of fact, Sismondi's account of the affair, as
borrowed by him from the best Italian historians, is given
in the Appendix, C--Eu.

Ten years ago there reigned in the city of Florence a Duke of the house
of Medici who had married the Emperor's natural daughter, Margaret.
(2) She was still so young that the marriage could not be lawfully
consummated, and, waiting till she should be of a riper age, the Duke
treated her with great gentleness, and to spare her, made love to
various ladies of the city, whom he was wont to visit at night, whilst
his wife was sleeping.

2 The Duke here referred to was Alexander de' Medici, first
Duke of Florenc