cond time he was witless to leave
a woman who loved him, and who was worth more than his pledged mistress,
especially when his displeasure at the trick played upon him had been a
sound excuse."

Here Dagoucin put in that he was of the contrary opinion, and held that
the gentleman had on the first occasion shown himself constant, patient
and true, and on the second occasion loyal and perfect in his love.

"And how can we tell," asked Saffredent, "that he was not one of those
that a certain chapter calls _de frigidis et malificiatis?_" (4)

4 This is an allusion to the penalties pronounced by
several ecclesiastical Councils, and specified in the
Capitularies, against those who endeavoured to suspend the
procreative faculties of their enemies by resorting to
magic. On this matter Baluze's collection of Capitularies
(vol. i.) may be consulted. The "chapter" referred to by
Margaret is evidently chapter xv. (book vi.) of the
Decretals of Pope Boniface VIII., which bears the title of
_De frigidis et maleficiatis_, and which is alluded to by
Rabelais in _Pantagruel_. The belief in the practices in
question dates back to ancient times, and was shared by
Plato and Pliny, the latter of whom says that to guard
against any spell of the kind some wolf fat should be rubbed
upon the threshold and door jambs of one's bed-chamber. In
the sixteenth century sorcery of this description was so
generally believed in, in some parts of France, that
Cardinal du Perron inserted special prayers against it in
the ritual. Some particulars on the subject will be found in
the _Admirables Secrets du Petit Albert_, and also in a
_Traite d'Enchantement_, published at La Rochelle in 1591,
which gives details concerning certain practices alleged to
take place on the solemnisation of marriage among those of
the Reformed Church.--D. and L.

"To complete his eulogy, Hircan ought to have told us how he comported
himself when he obtained what he wanted, and then we should have been
able to judge whether it was virtue or impotence that made him observe
so much discretion."

"You may be sure," said Hircan, "that had he told me this I should have
concealed it as little as I did the rest. Nevertheless, from seeing his
person and knowing his temper, I shall ever hold that his conduct was
due to the power of love rather than to any impotence or c