“I am well aware,” said Dagoucin, “that men are men and subject to every passion, but there are some, nevertheless, who would rather die than that their mistresses should, for their delight, do aught against their consciences.” “To die means a great deal,” said Geburon. “I would not believe that of them were it uttered by the lips of the austerest monk alive.” “Nay, I believe,” said Hircan, “that there is none but desires the very opposite. But they make pretence of disliking the grapes when these hang too high to be gathered.” “Still,” said Nomcrfide, “I am sure that the Prince’s wife was very glad to find that her husband was learning to know women.” “I assure you it was not so,” said Ennasuite. “She was very sorry on account of the love that she bore the lady.” “I would as soon,” said Saffredent, “have the lady who laughed when her husband kissed her maid.” “In sooth,” said Ennasuite, “you shall tell us the story. I give place to you.” “Although the story is very short,” said Saffredent, “I will still relate it, for I would rather make you laugh than speak myself at length.” [Illustration: 036.jpg Tailpiece] [Illustration: 037a.jpg The Lady watching the Shadow Faces Kissing] [The Lady watching the Shadow Faces Kissing] [Illustration: 037.jpg Page Image] _TALE LIV_. _Thogas’s wife, believing that her husband loved none but herself, was pleased that her serving-woman should amuse him, and laughed when in her presence he kissed the girl before her eyes, and with her knowledge_. Between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Alps, there dwelt a gentleman named Thogas, (1) who had a wife and children, with a very beautiful house, and so much wealth and pleasure at his hand, that there was reason he should live in contentment, had it not been that he was subject to great pain beneath the roots of the hair, in such wise that the doctors advised him to sleep no longer with his wife. She, whose chief thought was for her husband’s life and health, readily consented, and caused her bed to be set in another corner of the room directly opposite her husband’s, so that they could neither of them put out their heads without seeing each other. 1 We are unable to trace any family named Thogas, which is probably a fictitious appellation. Read backwards with the letter h omitted it forms Sagot, whilst if the syllables be transposed it suggests Guasto, a well-known Basque or Navarrese name.--Ed. This lady had two serving-women, and often when the lord and his lady were in bed, they would each take some diverting book to read, whilst the serving-women held candles, the younger, that is, for the gentleman, and the other for his wife.