“And,” said Longarine, “when their craftiness is discerned, ’tis death.”

“Nay, ’tis life,” said Simontault, “for they deem it no small glory to be reputed more crafty than their fellows.  And the reputation of ‘crafty,’ gained thus at their own expense, brings lovers more readily under subjection to them than does their beauty, for one of the greatest delights shared by those who are in love is to conduct the affair slyly.”

“You speak,” said Ennasuite, “of wanton love, for the honourable has no need of concealment.”

“Ah!” said Dagoucin, “I pray you put that thought out of your head.  The more precious the drug, the less should it be exposed to the air, because of the perverseness of those who trust only to outward signs.  These are not different in the case of honourable and faithful affection than in any other case, so they must none the less be hidden when the love is virtuous than when it is the opposite, if one would avoid the evil opinion of those who cannot believe that a man may love a lady in all honour, and who, being themselves slaves to pleasure, think every one else the same.  If we were all of good faith, look and speech would be without concealment, at least toward those who would rather die than take them in an evil sense.”

“I protest to you, Dagoucin,” said Hircan, “that your philosophy is too deep for any man here to understand or believe.  You would have us think that men are angels, or stones, or devils.”

“I am well aware,” said Dagoucin, “that men are men and subject to every passion, but there are some, nevertheless, who would rather die than that their mistresses should, for their delight, do aught against their consciences.”

“To die means a great deal,” said Geburon.  “I would not believe that of them were it uttered by the lips of the austerest monk alive.”

“Nay, I believe,” said Hircan, “that there is none but desires the very opposite.  But they make pretence of disliking the grapes when these hang too high to be gathered.”

“Still,” said Nomcrfide, “I am sure that the Prince’s wife was very glad to find that her husband was learning to know women.”

“I assure you it was not so,” said Ennasuite.  “She was very sorry on account of the love that she bore the lady.”

“I would as soon,” said Saffredent, “have the lady who laughed when her husband kissed her maid.”

“In sooth,” said Ennasuite, “you shall tell us the story.  I give place to you.”

“Although the story is very short,” said Saffredent, “I will still relate it, for I would rather make you laugh than speak myself at length.”

[Illustration:  036.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration:  037a.jpg The Lady watching the Shadow Faces Kissing]

[The Lady watching the Shadow Faces Kissing]

[Illustration:  037.jpg Page Image]

TALE LIV.