“That is true,” said Parlamente; “but I believe I know the story you mean, and it is written in such old language that methinks no one present except ourselves has ever heard of it.  It will therefore be looked upon as new.”

Upon this the whole company begged her to tell it without fear for its length, seeing that a full hour was yet left before vespers.  So, at their request, the Lady Oisille thus began:—­

[Illustration:  174.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration:  175a.  The Gentleman Killing Himself on the Death of his Mistress]

[The Gentleman Killing Himself on the Death of his Mistress]

[Illustration:  175.jpg Page Image]

TALE LXX.

The Duchess of Burgundy, not content with the love that her husband bore her, conceived so great an affection for a young gentleman that, when looks and glances were not sufficient to inform him of her passion, she declared it to him in words which led to an evil ending. (1)

1 This story is borrowed from an old fabliau, known under the title of the Chatelaine de Vergy, which will be found in the Recueil de Barbazan (vol iv.) and in Legrand d’Aussy’s Fabliaux (vol iii.).  Margaret calls the lady Madame du Vergier (literally the lady of the orchard) in her tale.  Bandello imitated the same fabliau in his Novelle (1554; part iv. nov. v.), but gave it a different ending.  Belleforest subsequently adapted it for his Histoires Tragiques.  Margaret’s tale may also be compared with No. lxii. of the Cento Novelle antiche, p. 84 of the edition of Florence, 1825.—­L. and M.

In the Duchy of Burgundy there was a Duke who was a very honourable and handsome Prince.  He had married a wife whose beauty pleased him so greatly that it kept him from knowledge of her character, and he took thought only how he might please her, whilst she made excellent show of returning his affection.  Now the Duke had in his household a gentleman filled with all the perfection that could be sought for in a man.  He was loved by all, more especially by the Duke, who had reared him from childhood near his own person; and, finding him possessed of such excellent qualities, the Duke loved him exceedingly and trusted him with all such matters as one of his years could understand.

The Duchess, who had not the heart of a virtuous woman and Princess, and was not content with the love that her husband bore her and the good treatment that she had at his hands, often observed this gentleman, and so much to her liking did she find him, that she loved him beyond measure.  This she strove unceasingly to make known to him, as well by soft and piteous glances as by sighs and passionate looks.

But the gentleman, whose inclinations had ever been to virtue alone, could not perceive wickedness in a lady who had so little excuse for it, and so the glances and looks of the poor wanton bore no fruit save her own frenzied despair.  This at last drove her to extremes, and forgetting that she was a woman fit to be entreated and yet to refuse, and a Princess made to be worshipped by such lovers and yet to hold them in scorn, she acted with the spirit of a man transported by passion, with a view to rid herself of the fire which she could no longer endure.