delivered it to her neatly folded up, telling her, “I am too much concerned to please your mistress to neglect her work; I would engage her by my diligence to employ no other than myself for the time to come.”  The young slave went some steps as if she had intended to go away, and then coming back, whispered to my brother, “I had forgotten part of my commission; my mistress charged me to make her compliments to you, and to ask how you passed the night; as for her, poor woman, she loves you to that degree that she could not sleep.”  “Tell her,” answered my silly brother, “I have so strong a passion for her, that for these four nights I have not slept one wink.”  After such a compliment from the miller’s wife, my brother thought she would not let him languish long in expectation of her favours.

About a quarter of an hour after, the slave returned to my brother with a piece of satin:  “My mistress,” said she, “is very well pleased with her vest, nothing in the world can fit her better, and as it is very handsome, she will not wear it without a new pair of drawers; she prays you to make her one, as soon as you can, of this piece of satin.”  “Enough,” said Bacbouc, “I will do it before I leave my shop:  you shall have it in the evening.”  The miller’s wife shewed herself often at her window, and was very prodigal of her charms, to encourage my brother.  You would have laughed to see him work.  The pair of drawers was soon made, and the slave came for it, but brought the tailor no money, neither for the trimming he had bought for the vest, nor for the making.  In the mean time, this unfortunate lover, whom they only amused, though he could not see it, had eaten nothing all that day, and was forced to borrow money at night to buy his supper.  Next morning, as soon as he arrived at his shop, the young slave came to tell him that the miller wanted to speak to him.  “My mistress,” said she, “spoke to him so much in your praise, when she shewed him your work, that he has a mind you should work for him also; she does this on purpose, that the connection she wishes to form betwixt you and him may crown your mutual wishes with success.”  My brother was easily persuaded, and went to the mill with the slave.  The miller received him very kindly, and shewed him a piece of cloth, and told him he wanted shirts, bade him make it into twenty, and return him again what was left.

My brother had work enough for five or six days to make twenty shirts for the miller, who afterwards gave him another piece of cloth to make him as many pair of drawers.  When they were finished, Bacbouc carried them to the miller, who asked him what he must have for his pains.  My brother answered, he would be content with twenty dirhems of silver.  The miller immediately called the young slave, and bade her bring him his weights to see if his money was right.  The slave, who had her lesson, looked at my brother with an angry countenance, to signify to him, that he would spoil all if he took money.