ith him in order to lessen his sorrow, and assured him that she would
find means to see him oftener than he thought. Then, as he was to depart
on the following morning, and was so weak that he could scarcely stir
from his bed, he prayed her to come and see him in the evening after
every one else had left him. This she promised to do, not knowing that
love in extremity is void of reason.

Amadour altogether despaired of ever again seeing her whom he had loved
so long, and from whom he had received no other treatment than I have
described. Racked by secret passion and by despair at losing all means
of consorting with her, he resolved to play at double or quits, and
either lose her altogether or else wholly win her, and so pay himself in
an hour the reward which he thought he had deserved. Accordingly he had
his bed curtained in such a manner that those who came into the room
could not see him; and he complained so much more than he had done
previously that all the people of the house thought he had not
twenty-four hours to live.

After every one else had visited him, Florida, at the request of her
husband himself, came in the evening, hoping to comfort him by declaring
her affection and by telling him that, so far as honour allowed, she was
willing to love him. She sat down on a chair beside the head of his
bed, and began her consolation by weeping with him. Amadour, seeing her
filled with such sorrow, thought that in her distress he might the more
readily achieve his purpose, and raised himself up in the bed. Florida,
thinking that he was too weak to do this, sought to prevent him, but he
threw himself on his knees before her saying, "Must I lose sight of you
for ever?" Then he fell into her arms like one exhausted. The hapless
Florida embraced him and supported him for a long time, doing all she
could to comfort him. But what she offered him to cure his pain only
increased it; and while feigning to be half dead, he, without saying a
word, strove to obtain that which the honour of ladies forbids.

When Florida perceived his evil purpose, in which she could hardly
believe after all his honourable conversation, she asked him what he
sought to do. Amadour, fearing her reply, which he knew could not
be otherwise than chaste and virtuous, said nothing, but pursued his
attempt with all the strength that he could muster. Florida, greatly
astonished, suspected rather that he had lost his senses than that he
was really bent upo