And this was how, to his injury, the opportunity occurred.
The advocate, obliged to follow the course of this
conspiracy, and, in case of failure, intending to
revenge himself upon the Guises, determined to go
to Blois, where the court then was in great danger
of being carried off. Knowing this, the gentleman
came first to the town of Blois, and there arranged
a master-trap, into which the Sieur Avenelles should
fall, in spite of his cunning, and not come out until
steeped in a crimson cuckoldom. The said Italian,
intoxicated with love, called together all his pages
and vassals, and posted them in such a manner that
on the arrival of the advocate, his wife, and her
duenna, it was stated to them at all the hostelries
at which they wished to put up that the hostelry being
full, in consequence of the sojourn of the court,
they must go elsewhere. Then the gentleman made
such an arrangement with the landlord of the Soleil
Royal, that he had the whole of the house, and occupied,
without any of the usual servants of the place remaining
there. For greater security, my lord sent the
said master and his people into the country, and put
his own in their places, so that the advocate should
know nothing of this arrangement. Behold my good
gentleman who lodges his friends to come to the court
in the hostelry, and for himself keeps a room situated
above those in which he intends to put his lovely mistress,
her advocate, and the duenna, not without first having
cut a trap in the boards. And his steward being
charged to play the part of the innkeeper, his pages
dressed like guests, and his female servants like
servants of the inn, he waited for spies to convey
to him the dramatis personae of this farce—viz.,
wife, husband, and duenna, none of whom failed to
come. Seeing the immense wealth of the great lords,
merchants, warriors, members of the service, and others,
brought by the sojourn of the young king, of two queens,
the Guises, and all the court, no one had a right
to be astonished or to talk of the roguish trap, or
of the confusion come to the Soleil Royal. Behold
now the Sieur Avenelles, on his arrival, bundled about,
he, his wife and the duenna from inn to inn, and thinking
themselves very fortunate in being received at the
Soleil Royal, where the gallant was getting warm,
and love was burning. The advocate, being lodged,
the lover walked about the courtyard, watching and
waiting for a glance from the lady; and he did not
have to wait very long, since the fair Avenelles,
looking soon into the court, after the custom of the
ladies, there recognised not without great throbbing
of the heart, her gallant and well-beloved gentleman.
At that she was very happy; and if by a lucky chance
both had been alone together for an ounce of time,
that good gentleman would not have had to wait for
his good fortune, so burning was she from head to
foot.
“How warm it is in the rays of this lord,” said she, meaning to say sun, since it was then shining fiercely.