at the extremities of her
body became quite cold, while her inward parts burned without ceasing.
The doctors, who have not the health of men in their power, began to
grow very doubtful concerning her recovery, by reason of an obstruction
that affected the extremities, and advised her husband to admonish her
to think of her conscience and remember that she was in God's hands--as
though indeed the healthy were not in them also.

The husband, who loved his wife devotedly, was so saddened by their
words that for his comfort he wrote to the Lord of Avannes entreating
him to take the trouble to come and see them, in the hope that the sight
of him might be of advantage to the patient. On receiving the letter,
the Lord of Avannes did not tarry, but started off post-haste to the
house of his worthy father, where he found the servants, both men and
women, assembled at the door, making such lament for their mistress as
she deserved.

So greatly amazed was he at the sight, that he remained on the threshold
like one paralysed, until he beheld his good father, who embraced him,
weeping the while so bitterly that he could not utter a word. Then he
led the Lord of Avannes to the chamber of the sick lady, who, turning
her languid eyes upon him, put out her hand and drew him to her with
all the strength she had. She kissed and embraced him, and made wondrous
lamentation, saying--

"O my lord, the hour has come when all dissimulation must cease, and I
must confess the truth which I have been at such pains to hide from you.
If your affection for me was great, know that mine for you has been no
less; but my grief has been greater than yours, because I have had the
anguish of concealing it contrary to the wish of my heart. God and my
honour have never, my lord, suffered me to make it known to you, lest
I should increase in you that which I sought to diminish; but you must
learn that the 'no' I so often said to you pained me so greatly in the
utterance that it has indeed proved the cause of my death.

"Nevertheless, I am glad it should be so, and that God in His grace
should have caused me to die before the vehemence of my love has stained
my conscience and my fair fame; for smaller fires have ere now destroyed
greater and stronger structures. And I am glad that before dying I have
been able to make known to you that my affection is equal to your own,
save only that men's honour and women's are not the same thing. And
I pray you, my lord,