she had
never suspected him of going to church at such an hour as
this."--L.

And she has made me here set it down in writing, for the purpose,
ladies, of showing you that there is no lawyer so crafty and no monk
so shrewd, but love, in case of need, gives the power of tricking them
both, to those whose sole experience is in truly loving. And since love
can thus deceive the deceivers, well may we, who are simple and ignorant
folk, stand in awe of him.

"Although," said Geburon, "I can pretty well guess who the young Prince
is, I must say that in this matter he was worthy of praise. We meet with
few great lords who reck aught of a woman's honour or a public scandal,
if only they have their pleasure; nay, they are often well pleased to
have men believe something that is even worse than the truth."

"Truly," said Oisille, "I could wish that all young lords would follow
his example, for the scandal is often worse than the sin."

"Of course," said Nomerfide, "the prayers he offered up at the monastery
through which he passed were sincere."

"That is not a matter for you to judge," said Parlamente, "for perhaps
his repentance on his return was great enough to procure him the pardon
of his sin."

"'Tis a hard matter," said Hircan, "to repent of an offence so pleasing.
For my own part I have many a time confessed such a one, but seldom have
I repented of it."

"It would be better," said Oisille, "not to confess at all, if one do
not sincerely repent."

"Well, madam," said Hircan, "sin sorely displeases me, and I am grieved
to offend God, but, for all that, such sin is ever a pleasure to me."

"You and those like you," said Parlamente, "would fain have neither God
nor law other than your own desires might set up."

"I will own to you," said Hircan, "that I would gladly have God take as
deep a pleasure in my pleasures as I do myself, for I should then often
give Him occasion to rejoice."

"However, you cannot set up a new God," said Geburon, "and so we must
e'en obey the one we have. Let us therefore leave such disputes to
theologians, and allow Longarine to give some one her vote."

"I give it," she said, "to Saffredent, but I will beg him to tell us the
finest tale he can think of, and not to be so intent on speaking evil
of women as to hide the truth when there is something good of them to
relate."

"In sooth," said Saffredent, "I consent, for I have here in hand the
story of a wanton woman and a di