The Heptameron (Machen)/Novel 6

Charles, last Duke of Alençon, had about his person an old body-servant, who had lost one eye, and had to wife a woman far younger than himself. And forasmuch as his master and mistress loved him as well as any of their folk, he was not able so often to see his wife as he desired, whence it fell out that she so far forgot her honour as to fall in love with a young man, which affair was so noised abroad that her husband was advertised of it. But even thus, he was fain to give the tale no belief, for the notable signs of love that his wife showed to him. All the same, one day he thought to put the matter to the touch, and to avenge himself, if he were able, on her who had done him this great shame. And to this intent he feigned to go away from that place for the space of three or four days. No sooner had he started out than the wife sent for her lover, who had scarce been half an hour with her when they heard the husband knocking at the door. But his wife, well knowing who it was, consoled her sweetheart, since in such affright was he that he had rather have been shut up in his mother's womb, and cursed the love that had brought him to such a pass. But she told him to fear nothing, inasmuch as she would find some manner of conveying him away without open shame, and would have him put on his gear as quickly as might be. All this while the husband kept knocking at the door, and calling upon his wife at the top of his voice. But she feigned not to recognise it, and cried to the people of the house: "Wherefore do you not arise, and put to silence those who are making such a clamour at the door? Is this the hour to come to the houses of honest people? If my goodman were at home he would presently see to it." The husband, hearing the voice of his wife, still more loudly called ​to her: "Wife, open I say; would you have me tarry here till dawn?" And when she perceived her sweetheart was ready to go forth, she threw open the door, and said to her husband: "Dear husband, with what contentment do I behold your return, for I have dreamt a marvellous dream, and was filled with great joy, since it was that you had recovered the sight of your eye." And embracing and kissing him she took him by the head and closed with one hand his good eye, saying to him: "See you not better than you are wont?" And at that moment, while he saw not at all, she signed her sweetheart to get him gone. But though the husband saw nothing yet he suspected a good deal, and said to his wife: "Of a verity, wife, I will keep no more watch over you, for thinking to cozen you, I myself have experienced a mighty pretty, piece of cozenage. May God mend you, for no man in the world can put a close to the wickedness of a woman, save he kill her outright. But seeing my kind entreating of you has availed nothing, perchance the scorn I shall henceforth think of you will be in some sort a punishment." So saying he went forth and left his wife a widow; but nevertheless, through the prayers and tears of herself and her friends, he at last returned to her.

"Herein, ladies, you may discover how subtile a thing is a woman to escape danger. And if, for the concealing of evil, her wit is so sharp to find some means, I believe that, to avoid evil or to do good, it would be yet sharper, since, as I have always heard, the minds of the good are more powerful than the minds of the evil." To this Mircan said: "Extol your craftiness as you will, but I think this of you, that if you had been in this woman's place you could not have concealed the matter." "I had as lief," said Nomerfide, "that you thought me the most foolish woman upon earth." "Such," said Hircan, "was not my intent, but that if there were slander against you, you would be in great affray, and not consider how you could stop men's mouths." "You think," said Nomerfide, "that everyone is as you, who with one scandal patch up another. But the danger is that at last a patch make a rent where all is sound, and the foundations have such a weight of patchwork upon them that the whole house come to the ground. Yet, if you think that these schemes of yours excel those of women, I give place for you to tell the seventh novel. And if ​you bring yourself into it, I warrant me we'll hear enough of wickedness." "I am not here," said Hircan, "to make myself out worse than I am, for there are those who tell me that I am bad enough." And so saying he looked towards his wife, who straightway spoke to him: "Be not afraid to tell the truth for that I am here, since I can easier bear to hear the story of your crafty ways than see them done under my eyes, though indeed I think there is nothing that will lessen my love for you." Hircan replied: "On this account I make no complaint of all the lying tales you have believed concerning me. Wherefore, since we have so good a knowledge the one of the other, the future is made more secure. But I am not so foolish as to tell a tale of myself, the very truth of which would be your grief; natheless I will tell you one of a gentleman who was very dear to me."