The Heptameron (Machen)/Novel 18

In one of the fair towns of France there lived a nobleman of an illustrious house, who studied in the schools desiring to attain the knowledge of the means by which men come to virtue and honour. And although he was such a sound scholar that at the age of seventeen or eighteen years he seemed to be a teacher and an ensample to all the rest, natheless Love, amid all his learning, made him go likewise to its lecture-hall. And for a better hearing and reception, it hid itself in the face and beautiful eyes of the prettiest maid in all the countryside, who had come up to town on some matter of law. But before that Love had essayed to conquer him by the beauty of the lady, it had gained her heart by showing to her the perfections that were in this young lord; for in comeliness, grace, good sense, and pleasant speaking, he had no rival in any sort or condition of men whatsoever. You who know the quick work this fire makes, when it betakes itself to the extremities of the heart and fantasy, will judge well that, with two subjects like these, Love never stopped till it had them at its pleasure, and that it so filled them with its shining light that their thoughts, words, and wishes were but of this flame of Love. Youth, engendering in the gentleman fear, made him pay his suit as gently as might be; but she, altogether conquered by love, needed no pressing; natheless shame, which always is companion to a maid, kept her some while without declaring her mind. But at the end, the strong-place of her heart, where honour dwelleth, was in such fashion brought to the dust, that the poor maid agreed to that on which in truth they had never disagreed. Yet, to make trial of the patience, steadfastness, and love of her servant, she granted him what he asked on a condition most hard to be observed, assuring him that if he kept it she would love him with a perfect love, and if not she wonld have no more traffic with him. And this was her condition: she would be content to hold parley with him in a bed, the pair of them being clad alone in their shirts, if he would ask no more of her than kisses and sweet talk. And he, thinking no joy was there to ​be compared with the joy she promised him, agreed thereto. And when the evening was come, his promise was kept; in such sort that for all the good cheer she made him, and for all the temptations with which he was vexed, he would by no means depart from his oath. And though he thought his pains not less than those of purgatory, so strong was his love, and so assured his hope of the everlasting continuing of this their love, that he kept watch with patience and rose from beside her without doing her any wrong. The lady, as I believe, more astonished than delighted with this good faith, presently suspected either that his love was not so great as she had taken it to be, or that he had found her not so sweet as he had thought; and had no consideration to his honour, long-suffering, and faithfulness in the keeping of his oath.

This done she determined to make yet another trial of his love for her before she kept her promise. And to this intent she asked him to speak with a girl of her household, younger than herself and mighty pretty, and to hold love discourse with her, that those who saw him so often come to the house might think it was for the maid and not for the mistress. The young lord, well persuaded of being beloved even as he loved, altogether obeyed her commands, and constrained himself for love of her to make love to the girl. And she, seeing him of such pleasant speech and brave address, believed his lie more than another's truth, and loved him all as if she was verily beloved of him. And when her mistress saw that things were thus forward, and that all the same the gentleman ceased not to remind her of her promise, she granted him to come and see her an hour after midnight, and told him that she had tried so well his love and obedience towards her, that it was reasonable he should be rewarded for his long-suffering. One cannot doubt of the joy of this faithful lover at hearing of this, and at the appointed hour he failed not to be present. But the lady, to try the strength of his love, said to the girl: "I am well advised of the love a certain lord bears you, and I think your passion for him is not less. And I have taken such pity on you two, that I am resolved to give you place and leisure to parley together at your ease." At this the maid was in such delight that she could not conceal her desire, saying she would not fail her. In obedience therefore to the lady she undressed ​herself and lay down all alone on a fine bed; the lady leaving the door of the room open, and lighting it very brightly, so that the girl's beauty might the more be manifested. And feigning to go away she so shrewdly hid herself near the bed, that no one might see her. Her lover, thinking to find her there according to promise, at the appointed time entered into the room as softly as he was able; and after that he had shut the door and doffed his vesture and fur slippers, he got into bed thinking to find there what he had desired. And he had no sooner stretched out his arms to embrace her whom he thought his mistress, than the poor girl, believing him entirely her own, threw her arms round his neck, and spoke to him with such loving words and with so beautiful a face, that a holy hermit would have dropped his beads at the sight of her. But when as much by hearing as seeing he perceived who she was, love, which had sent him to bed at such a rate, no less quickly got him up again, when he found it was not she for whom he had borne so much. And wrathful as much with the mistress as with the maid, he said to her: "Not your folly, nor the maliciousness of her who has put you there, can make me other than I am. But do you labour to become an honest woman, for, by reason of me, you will never lose your good name." And thus saying he went forth from the room in a rage, and for a long time returned not to the place where his mistress dwelt. But Love, who is never devoid of hope, gave him good assurance that the greater the trials the better the enjoyment. The lady, having seen and heard the passages between him and the maid, was so delighted and astonished at the greatness and steadfastness of his love, that she wearied for the time of seeing him again, to ask his forgiveness for all the evils with which she had afflicted him. And as soon as she could find him she took such order with him that not only did he forget his sorrows overpast, but deemed them happy, inasmuch as they were turned to the glory of his steadfastness and the perfect assurance of his love. And of this love from that time forth he tasted the fruition as he had desired, without hindrance or weariness.

"I entreat you, ladies, find me a woman who has been so steadfast, so patient, so loyal in love as this man here. They who have felt such temptations, find those in the pictures of ​St. Anthony small by comparison; for he who can be chaste and patient when he has the opportunity of enjoying a beautiful woman beloved of him, will be virtuous enough to overcome a legion of devils." "'Tis pity," said Oisille, "that his suit was not done to a woman as good as himself, for then theirs would have been the most perfect and the most honourable love of which I have ever heard." "But, prithee," said Geburon, "which of these two trials is in your mind most difficult to bear?" "It seems to me," said Parlamente, "that the last was the most difficult, for revenge is the strongest of all the temptations." Longarine said she thought the first was the most difficult, for to keep his promise he had to overcome both love and himself. "You talk well at your ease," said Simontault, "but we, who know how much it is worth, should give our opinions. And as for me I deem the man the first time to have been a dolt, and the second an ass; for, trust me, while he kept his promise to his mistress, she was in worse case than he. This oath she only made him take to show herself more virtuous than she was, being assured the while that a love like his could not be bound, by command, oath, or anything else. But she wished to be won by heroical virtues, and so turn dishonour into honour. And the second time he was manifestly an ass for leaving her who loved him better than his mistress, and having also a good excuse in his great displeasure." To this Dagoucin replied that he was of the contrary opinion, and he held him the first time for a man, steadfast, patient, and truthful; and the second time loyal and perfect in his love." "How do we know," said Simontault, "if he were not one of those the Decretals call frigidi et maleficiati. And if Hircan had wished to complete his praise he would have done well to tell us what manner of bedfellow he made when he got that he longed for, and we should be able to judge whether virtue or impotence was at the root of the matter." "You may be well persuaded," said Hircan, "that if I had been told this, I would have concealed it no more than the rest. But since I know the man and his complexion, I esteem him to have been led by the strength of his love, and by no means by impotence or coldness." "If it were as you say," said Simontault, "he ought to have broken his word. For though she, for such a small matter, had been angry, she would ​have easily been appeased." "Perchance," said Ennasuitte, "she would not have had it so." "And would it not have been an easy matter to have forced her," said Saffredent, "since she herself had offered battle?" "By'r lady," said Nomerfide, "what manner of talk is this? Is that the way to gain the favour of an honourable and virtuous woman?" "It seems to me," said Saffredent, "that one cannot do a woman one courts greater honour than to have her by force; it is but your little miss that desires long prayers and entreaties Others there are to whom one must give many a present before they are won, and still others so foolish that scarcely by any means or craft is it possible to win them; and as to them one has but to think of practical ways and means. But when a body has to do with a woman too wise for cozenage, and too good for words or presents, is it not reasonable to search out every way of gaining the victory over her? And when it comes to your ears that a man has raped a woman, believe that the woman cut him off from every other kind of hope, and think no less of the honest gentleman who for love has risked his life." Geburon, laughing, said: "I have seen places besieged and taken by storm, because it was impossible to bring the garrisons to a parley either by money or threats, and they say a place that is brought to parley is half won." "You believe," said Ennasuitte, "that all the love in the world is bottomed upon these follies; but there have been they who have loved and for a long while continued in their love without a thought of the like." "If you know a history to that intent," said Hircan, "I give you my place for you to tell it," "I both know one," said Ennasuitte, "and most willingly will tell it."