_TALE XXVII_.
_A secretary sought the wife of his host and comrade in dishonourable and unlawful love, and as she made show of willingly giving ear to him, he was persuaded that he had won her. But she was virtuous, and, while dissembling towards him, deceived his hopes and made known his viciousness to her husband_. (1)
1 The incidents here related would have occurred at Amboise between 1540 and 1545. The hero of the story would probably be John Frotte, Queen Margaret's First Secretary, who also apparently figures in Tale XXVIII. The Sires de Frotte had been in the service of the Dukes of Alencon since the early part of the fifteenth century. Ste-Marthe says of John Frotte that he was a man of great experience and good wit, prudent, dutiful and diligent. He died secretary to Francis I.--L. and B. J.
In the town of Amboise there lived one of this Princess's servants, anhonest man who served her in the quality of valet-de-chambre, and whoused readily to entertain those that visited his house, more especiallyhis own comrades; and not long since one of his mistress's servants cameto lodge with him, and remained with him ten or twelve days.
This man was so ugly that he looked more like a King of the cannibalsthan a Christian, and although his host treated him as a friend and abrother, and with all the courtesy imaginable, he behaved in return notonly like one who has forgotten all honour, but as one who has never hadit in his heart. For he sought, in dishonourable and unlawful love, hiscomrade's wife, who was in no sort attractive to lust but rather thereverse, and was moreover as virtuous a woman as any in the town inwhich she lived. When she perceived the man's evil intent, she thoughtit better to employ dissimulation in order to bring his viciousness tolight, rather than conceal it by a sudden refusal; and she thereforemade a pretence of approving his discourse. He then believed he had wonher, and, paying no heed to her age, which was that of fifty years, orto her lack of beauty, or her reputation as a virtuous woman attached toher husband, he urged his suit continually.
One day, the husband being in the house, the wife and her suitor were ina large room together, when she pretended that he had but to find somesafe spot in order to have such private converse with her as he desired.He immediately replied that it was only necessary to go up to thegarret. She instantly rose, and begged him to go first, saying thatshe would follow. Smiling with as sweet a countenance as that of a bigbaboon entertaining a friend, he went lightly up the stairway; and,on the tip-toe of expectation with regard to that which he so greatlydesired, burning with a fire not clear, like that of juniper, but denselike that of coal in the furnace, he listened whether she was comingafter him. But instead of hearing her footsteps, he heard her voicesaying--
"Wait, master secretary, for a little; I am going to find out whether itbe my husband's pleasure that I should go up to you."
His face when laughing was ugly indeed, and you may imagine, ladies, howit looked when he wept; but he came down instantly, with tears in hiseyes, and besought her for the love of God not to say aught that woulddestroy the friendship between his comrade and himself.
"I am sure," she replied, "that you like him too well to say anything hemay not hear. I shall therefore go and tell him of the matter."
And this, in spite of all his entreaties and threats, she did. And ifhis shame thereat was great as he fled the place, the husband's joywas no less on hearing of the honourable deception that his wife hadpractised; indeed, so pleased was he with his wife's virtue that hetook no notice of his comrade's viciousness, deeming him sufficientlypunished inasmuch as the shame he had thought to work in another'shousehold had fallen upon his own head.
"I think that from this tale honest people should learn not to admit totheir houses those whose conscience, heart and understanding know noughtof God, honour and true love."
"Though your tale be short," said Oisille, "it is as pleasant as any Ihave heard, and it is to the honour of a virtuous woman."
"'Fore God," said Simontault, "it is no great honour for a virtuouswoman to refuse a man so ugly as you represent this secretary to havebeen. Had he been handsome and polite, her virtue would then have beenclear. I think I know who he is, and, if it were my turn, I could tellyou another story about him that is no less droll."
"Let that be no hindrance," said Ennasuite, "for I give you my vote."
Thereupon Simontault began as follows:--
"Those who are accustomed to dwell at Court or in large towns valuetheir own knowledge so highly that they think very little of all othermen in comparison with themselves; but, for all that, there are subtleand crafty folk to be found in every condition of life. Still, whenthose who think themselves the cleverest are caught tripping, theirpride makes the jest a particularly pleasant one, and this I will try toshow by telling you of something that lately happened."
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177a.jpg The Secretary Opening the Pasty]
[The Secretary Opening the Pasty]
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The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. III. (of V.) Page 11
