nought I desire save in so far as I know that ’tis thy pleasure.”  Not many days after, Gualtieri, in like manner as he had sent for the daughter, sent for the son, and having made a shew of putting him to death, provided for his, as for the girl’s, nurture at Bologna.  Whereat the lady shewed no more discomposure of countenance or speech than at the loss of her daughter:  which Gualtieri found passing strange, and inly affirmed that there was never another woman in the world that would have so done.  And but that he had marked that she was most tenderly affectionate towards her children, while ’twas well pleasing to him, he had supposed that she was tired of them, whereas he knew that ’twas of her discretion that she so did.  His vassals, who believed that he had put the children to death, held him mightily to blame for his cruelty, and felt the utmost compassion for the lady.  She, however, said never aught to the ladies that condoled with her on the death of her children, but that the pleasure of him that had begotten them was her pleasure likewise.

Years not a few had passed since the girl’s birth, when Gualtieri at length deemed the time come to put his wife’s patience to the final proof.  Accordingly, in the presence of a great company of his vassals he declared that on no wise might he longer brook to have Griselda to wife, that he confessed that in taking her he had done a sorry thing and the act of a stripling, and that he therefore meant to do what he could to procure the Pope’s dispensation to put Griselda away, and take another wife:  for which cause being much upbraided by many worthy men, he made no other answer but only that needs must it so be.  Whereof the lady being apprised, and now deeming that she must look to go back to her father’s house, and perchance tend the sheep, as she had aforetime, and see him, to whom she was utterly devoted, engrossed by another woman, did inly bewail herself right sorely:  but still with the same composed mien with which she had borne Fortune’s former buffets, she set herself to endure this last outrage.  Nor was it long before Gualtieri by counterfeit letters, which he caused to be sent to him from Rome, made his vassals believe that the Pope had thereby given him a dispensation to put Griselda away, and take another wife.  Wherefore, having caused her to be brought before him, he said to her in the presence of not a few:—­“Wife, by license granted me by the Pope, I am now free to put thee away, and take another wife; and, for that my forbears have always been great gentlemen and lords of these parts, whereas thine have ever been husbandmen, I purpose that thou go back to Giannucolo’s house with the dowry that thou broughtest me; whereupon I shall bring home a lady that I have found, and who is meet to be my wife.”