The Heptameron (Machen)/Novel 39

A certain lord of Grignaulx, Esquire of the Body to Anne Duchess of Brittany and Queen of France, returning to his house, from which he had been absent more than two years, found his wife at another demesne hard-by. And when he would know the reason of this, she told him there was a ghost in their house that tormented them so much that none could live in it. My lord de Grignaulx, who put no belief in such fantasies, told her that he feared it not, were it the very devil, and so brought his wife to the house. And at night-time he made light many candles to see the ghost more clearly, and after watching a long while to no purpose, fell asleep. But on a sudden he was wakened by a mighty buffet on the cheek, and he heard a voice crying aloud: Brenigue, Brenigue, and this was the name of his grandmother. Then he called his wife who lay beside him to light a candle, the which were all put out, but she durst not rise from the bed. Straightway he felt the quilt pulled from off him, and heard a great noise of tables, trestles, and stools falling all about the room; and it ceased not all through the night. And he was more troubled in that he had lost his rest than for fear of the ghost, for he by no means believed it to have been such, and the next night he determined to take Master Goblin a prisoner. So a little after he was come to bed he made a great pretence of snoring loudly, and put his hand open near his face. And while he waited he knew that something was approaching him, and so snored all ​the more. At this the ghost, taking heart, gave him a mighty buffet, whereupon my lord de Grignaulx took his hand from his face and seized it, crying to his wife: "I have the ghost." And she rose and lighted a candle, and they found it was the maid that slept in their room, who falling on her knees entreated forgiveness, and promised to tell the truth. And this was that she had for a long while loved a serving-man of the house, and so had undertaken this brave mystery, thereby to drive from the house the master and mistress, so that they, who would have had all the care of it, should have means of entertaining one another, which indeed when they were all alone they by no means failed to do. My lord de Grignaulx, who was a somewhat surly man, commanded that they should be beaten in such sort that they would never forget the ghost, and this having been done, they were driven away. And thus was the house freed from the ghostly torments that had plagued it throughout two whole years.

"'Tis a wondrous thing, ladies, to think what this mighty god of love can do. From women it takes away all fear, and makes them to torment men so that they may gain their desire. But in like measure, as the serving-maid is to be blamed, so is the master to be praised for his good sense, that knew the spirit returneth not from the place whither it has gone." "Of a truth," said Geburon, "Love showed small favour to the maid and the man, and I confess their master's good sense stood him in good stead." "Yet," said Ennasuitte, "the wench, by reason of her craftiness, lived a long while at her ease." "'Tis a pitiful kind of ease," said Oisille, "bottomed upon sin, and ending in punishment and shame." "That is true," answered Ennasuitte, "but many folk have sorrow and suffering while they live righteously, not having the wit all their days to take their portion of pleasure as did these two." "Yet I am steadfast in my opinion," said Oisille, "that no pleasure can be perfect, save the conscience is at rest." "Are you advised of this?" said Simontault; "the Italian author would maintain that the greater the sin the greater the pleasure." "Of a truth," said Oisille, "he that said so is himself the very devil. Wherefore enough of him, and let us know to whom Saffredent will give his vote." "To whom?" said he. "None but Parlamente remains, but if there were a hundred I would still give ​my vote to her, since thereby we shall learn something." "Since, then, I am to bring the day to an end," said Parlamente, "and since I promised yesterday to tell you for what reason the father of Rolandine made build the castle where he kept her so long captive, I will even do so."