2 For a description of a summer-house of the kind referred to, see Cap’s edition of Palissy’s Dessein du Jardin Delectable, p. 69.  Palissy there describes some summer- houses formed of young elmtrees, with seats, columns, friezes, and a roofing so cunningly contrived of bent boughs that the rain could not penetrate into the interior.  It is to some such construction that Queen Margaret refers.—­M.

I will not try to depict to you his resentment, but it was so great that in a moment it had power to extinguish the flame which neither length of time nor lack of opportunity had been able to impair.

“Madam,” he said to her, being now as full of indignation as once he had been of love, “much good may this do you! (3) The revelation of your wickedness has to-day cured me, and freed me from the continual anguish that was caused by the virtue I believed to be in you.” (4)

     3 The French words here are “prou face,” which in Margaret’s
     time were very generally used in lieu of “Amen” or “So be
     it.”—­M.

     4 In Joconde La Fontaine gives the end of the adventure as
     follows:—­

     “Sans rencontrer personne et sans etre entendu
     Il monte dans sa chambre et voit pres de la dame
     Un lourdaud de valet sur son sein etendu. 
     Tous deux dormaient.  Dans cet abord Joconde
     Voulut les envoyer dormir en l’autre monde,
     Mais cependant il n’en fit rien
     Et mon avis est qu’il fit bien.”

     Both in La Fontaine’s Conte and in Ariosto’s Rolando the
     lady is the Queen, and the favoured lover the King’s dwarf. 
     —­Ed.

And with this farewell he went back again more quickly than he had come.

The unhappy woman made him no other reply than to put her hand to her face; for being unable to hide her shame, she covered her eyes that she might not see him who in spite of her deceit now perceived it only too clearly.

“And so, ladies, if you are not minded to love perfectly, do not, I pray you, seek to deceive and annoy an honest man for vanity’s sake; for hypocrites are rewarded as they deserve, and God favours those who love with frankness.”

“Truly,” said Oisille, “you have kept us a proper tale for the end of the day.  But that we have all sworn to speak the truth, I could not believe that a woman of that lady’s condition could be so wicked both in soul and in body, and leave so gallant a gentleman for so vile a muleteer.”

“Ah, madam,” said Hircan, “if you knew what a difference there is between a gentleman who has worn armour and been at the wars all his life, and a well-fed knave that has never stirred from home, you would excuse the poor widow.”

“I do not believe,” said Oisille, “whatever you may say, that you could admit any possible excuse for her.”