_TALE VI_.
_An old one-eyed valet in the service of the Duke of Alencon being advised that his wife was in love with a young man, desired to know the truth, and feigned to go away into the country for a few days. He returned, however, so suddenly that his wife, on whom he was keeping watch, perceived how matters stood, and whilst thinking to deceive her, he was himself deceived_.
There was in the service of Charles, last Duke of Alencon, an old valetwho had lost an eye, and who was married to a wife much younger thanhimself. Now, since his master and mistress liked him as well as any manof his condition that was in their service, he was not able to visit hiswife as often as he could have wished. Owing to this she so far forgother honour and conscience as to fall in love with a young man, and theaffair being at last noised abroad, the husband heard of it. He couldnot believe it, however, on account of the many notable tokens of lovethat were shown him by his wife.
Nevertheless, he one day determined to put the matter to the test, andto take revenge, if he were able, on the woman who had put him to suchshame. For this purpose he pretended to go away to a place a shortdistance off for the space of two or three days.
As soon as he was gone, his wife sent for her lover, but he had not beenwith her for half-an-hour when the husband arrived and knocked loudly atthe door. The wife well knew who it was and told her lover, who was sogreatly confounded that he would fain have been in his mother's womb,and cursed both his mistress and the love that had brought him into suchperil. However, she bade him fear nothing, for she would devise a meansto get him away without harm or shame to him, and she told him to dresshimself as quickly as he could. All this time the husband was knockingat the door and calling to his wife at the top of his voice; but shefeigned not to recognise him, and cried out to the people of the house--
"Why do you not get up and silence those who are making such a clamourat the door? Is this an hour to come to the houses of honest folk? If myhusband were here he would soon make them desist."
On hearing his wife's voice the husband called to her as loudly as hecould--
"Wife, open the door. Are you going to keep me waiting here tillmorning?"
Then, when she saw that her lover was ready to set forth, she opened thedoor.
"Oh, husband!" she began, "how glad I am that you are come. I have justhad a wonderful dream, and was so pleased that I never before knew suchdelight, for it seemed to me that you had recovered the sight of youreye." (1)
1 This is taken from No. xvi. of the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_, in which the wife exclaims: "Verily, at the very moment when you knocked, my lord, I was greatly occupied with a dream about you."--"And what was it, sweetheart?" asks the husband.--"By my faith, my lord," replies the wife, "it really seemed to me that you were come back, that you were speaking to me, and that you saw as clearly with one eye as with the other."--Ed.
Then, embracing and kissing him, she took him by the head and coveringhis good eye with one hand, she asked him--
"Do you not see better than you did before?"
At that moment, whilst he saw not a whit, she made her lover sallyforth. The husband immediately suspected the trick, and said to her--
"'Fore God, wife, I will keep watch on you no more, for in thinking todeceive you, I have myself met with the cunningest deception that everwas devised. May God mend you, for it is beyond the power of man to puta stop to the maliciousness of a woman, unless by killing her outright.However, since the fair treatment I have accorded you has availednothing for your amendment, perchance the scorn I shall henceforwardhold you in will serve as a punishment."
So saying he went away, leaving his wife in great distress. Neverthelessby the intercession of his friends and her own excuses and tears, he waspersuaded to return to her again.(2)
2 Although Queen Margaret ascribes the foregoing adventure to one of the officers of her husband's household, and declares that the narrative is quite true, the same subject had been dealt with by most of the old story-tellers prior to her time, and Deslongchamps points out the same incidents even in the early Hindoo fables (see the _Pantcha Tantra_, book I., fable vi.). A similar tale is to be found in the _Gesta Romanorum_ (cap. cxxii.), in the _fabliaux_ collected by Legrand d'Aussy (vol. iv., "De la mauvaise femme"), in P. Alphonse's _Disciplina Clericalis_ (fab. vii.), in the _Decameron_ (day vii., story vi.), and in the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_ (story xvi.). Imitations are also to be found in Bandello (part i., story xxiii.), Malespini (story xliv.), Sansovino (_Cento Novelle_), Sabadino (_Novelle_), Etienne (_Apologiepour Herodote_, ch. xv. ), De la Monnoye (vol. ii.), D'Ouville (_Contes_, vol. ii.), &c.--L. & B. J.
"By this tale, ladies, you may see how quick and crafty a woman is inescaping from danger. And if her wit be quick to discover the means ofconcealing a bad deed, it would, in my belief, be yet more subtle inavoiding evil or in doing good; for I have always heard it said that witto do well is ever the stronger."
"You may talk of your cunning as much as you please," said Hircan, "butmy opinion is that had the same fortune befallen you, you could not haveconcealed the truth."
"I had as lief you deemed me the most foolish woman on earth," shereplied.
"I do not say that," answered Hircan, "but I think you more likely to beconfounded by slander than to devise some cunning means to silence it."
"You think," said Nomerfide, "that every one is like you, who would useone slander for the patching of another; but there is danger lest thepatch impair what it patches and the foundation be so overladen thatall be destroyed. However, if you think that the subtlety, of which allbelieve you to be fully possessed, is greater than that found in women,I yield place to you to tell the seventh story; and, if you bringyourself forward as the hero, I doubt not that we shall hear wickednessenough."
"I am not here," replied Hircan, "to make myself out worse than I am;there are some who do that rather more than is to my liking."
So saying he looked at his wife, who quickly said--
"Do not fear to tell the truth on my account. I can more easily bearto hear you relate your crafty tricks than to see them played before myeyes, though none of them could lessen the love I bear you."
"For that reason," replied Hircan, "I make no complaint of all the falseopinions you have had of me. And so, since we understand each other,there will be more security for the future. Yet I am not so foolish asto relate a story of myself, the truth of which might be vexatiousto you. I will tell you one of a gentleman who was among my dearestfriends."
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[The Merchant transferring his Caresses from the Daughter to the Mother]
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The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. I. (of V.) Page 16
