Knights and knighthood -- Spain -- Fiction; Picaresque literature; Romances; Spain -- Social life and customs -- 16th century -- Fiction
“Thou dost reckon me thy friend, and thou wouldst rob me of honour, a
thing wholly inconsistent with friendship; and not only dost thou aim
at this, but thou wouldst have me rob thee of it also. That thou
wouldst rob me of it is clear, for when Camilla sees that I pay court
to her as thou requirest, she will certainly regard me as a man without
honour or right feeling, since I attempt and do a thing so much opposed
to what I owe to my own position and thy friendship. That thou wouldst
have me rob thee of it is beyond a doubt, for Camilla, seeing that I
press my suit upon her, will suppose that I have perceived in her
something light that has encouraged me to make known to her my base
desire; and if she holds herself dishonoured, her dishonour touches
thee as belonging to her; and hence arises what so commonly takes
place, that the husband of the adulterous woman, though he may not be
aware of or have given any cause for his wife’s failure in her duty, or
(being careless or negligent) have had it in his power to prevent his
dishonour, nevertheless is stigmatised by a vile and reproachful name,
and in a manner regarded with eyes of contempt instead of pity by all
who know of his wife’s guilt, though they see that he is unfortunate
not by his own fault, but by the lust of a vicious consort. But I will
tell thee why with good reason dishonour attaches to the husband of the
unchaste wife, though he know not that she is so, nor be to blame, nor
have done anything, or given any provocation to make her so; and be not
weary with listening to me, for it will be for thy good.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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