The Heptameron (Machen)/Novel 38

There lived at Tours a good and pretty townswoman, who for her virtues was not only loved but feared and esteemed of her husband. But yet, following the custom of men who grow weary at the eating of the fine white bread, he became amorous of a certain farmer's wife, and often he would set out from Tours and go to the farm, where he would stay two or three days, and when he came back to Tours was so weary and ailing that his wife had enough to do to cure him. And so soon as he was whole he failed not to return to the place, and there amidst his pleasures forgot all his sickness. But his wife, who above all had a care for his health, seeing him constantly return in such bad case, went herself to the farm, where she found the young woman whom her husband loved. And not wrathfully but with a most gracious address she spoke to her, saying that she was advised that her husband came thither often to see her, but she was ill content that he was so evilly entertained of her, in such wise that he came home weary and with great loss of his radical heat and moisture. The poor farmer's wife, as much from reverence to her mistress as from the force of truth, did not deny the fact, but entreated pardon for it. And the lady would fain see the room and the bed in which her husband slept, and found them so chilly, dirty, and disorderly, that she took pity on him. So forthwith she made fetch a fine bed, appointed with blankets and curtains and quilt according to her husband's liking; then she made deck out the room with hangings and tapestries, gave the woman a brave cup and platter for his meat and drink, a pipe of good wine, sweetmeats and confections; and bade her no more send back her husband in such evil case. The husband waited no long while before he went, as was his custom, to see the farmer's wife, and marvelled greatly to find the poor lodging in such brave order, much more when she served him with drink in a silver cup; and at last asked her whence came all these good things. The woman said, weeping, that it was his wife, who had taken such compassion on his bad treatment at the farm, that she had furnished the house in this manner, and com​mended his health to her. He, seeing the great goodness of his wife, who for all his evil had rendered him good, esteemed his fault as great as her kindness; and giving money to the farmer's wife he counselled her to live henceforth as an honest woman. Then he returned to his wife and made confession of all his sins, telling her that without her great gentleness and goodness he would never have left his wicked manner of living. And from that time he lived with her in peace and affection, and an entire amendment of his former life.

"Trust me, ladies, there are few husbands whom the long-suffering and love of their wives will not gain at the last; for though they be harder than rocks, yet these doth soft dropping water in time make hollow." Then said Parlamente: "She was a woman without heart, or gall, or liver." "She did according to the commands of God," said Longarine, "namely, returned good for evil. What more would you have her do?" "I believe," said Hircan, "that she was in love with some friar, who gave her the penance of having her husband well-treated in the country, so that while he was away she might have leisure to give the friar good treatment in the town." "There," said Oisille, "you make manifest the evil in your heart, passing a bad judgment on a good deed. But I rather believe her so to have mortified her carnal affections with the love of God, that her care was but for her husband's soul." "Methinks," said Simontault, "that he had more occasion to return to his wife when he was badly entreated at the farmhouse than when it was so bravely decked out." "By that, I presume," said Saffredent, "that you are not of the same humour as a certain rich man of Paris who, while he lay with his wife, could not put off any of his dress but that he took a rheum. But when he went to see his serving-maid in the cellar, he would go in the depth of winter without cap or slippers, and would take no hurt; and his wife was as pretty as the wench was ugly." "Have you not heard," said Geburon, "that God always has a care for fools, lovers, and drunken folk; perchance this rich man of Paris was all three together." "Would you draw from that," said Parlamente, "that God has no care for the prudent, the pure in heart, and the sober? They that can help themselves have no need of help. For He who said He came for the sick and not for the whole, came ​through pity to succour our infirmities, arresting the severity of His condemnation. And he that, believeth himself wise is foolish in the sight of God. But to bring an end to our sermon, to whom does Longarine give her vote?" "I give it," said she, "to Saffredent." "I hope then," said Saffredent, "to make plain by example that God shows no favour unto lovers. And although it has been said that vice is common to men and women, yet a crafty device shall be found more quickly and after a more subtile fashion by a woman than by a man. And this I tell you for an example of it."