ht to bed, and duly delivered of a female child, at
which she and her foolish mother were both astonished and angry, and
the neighbours also, who expected the holy hermit to have been there to
receive the child.

The report spread quite as quickly as the previous one, and the hermit
was one of the first to hear of it, and quickly fled into another
country--I know not where--to deceive another woman or girl, or perhaps
into the desert of Egypt to perform penance, with a contrite heart, for
his sin. However that may be, the poor girl was dishonoured; which was a
great pity, for she was fair, good, and amiable.

*****

STORY THE FIFTEENTH -- THE CLEVER NUN.

By Monseigneur De La Roche

_Of a nun whom a monk wished to deceive, and how he offered to shoo her
his weapon that she might feel it, but brought with him a companion whom
he put forward in his place, and of the answer she gave him._

In the fair country of Brabant, near to a monastery of white monks (*),
is situated a nunnery of devout and charitable nuns, but their name and
order need not be mentioned.

(*) Either Carthusians, who wear white robes and hoods, or
Dominicans who wear white robes and black hoods.

The two convents being close together, there was always a barn for
the threshers, as the saying is, for, thank God, the nuns were so
kind-hearted that few who sought amorous intercourse with them were
refused, provided only they were worthy to receive their favours.

But, to come to the story, there was amongst these white monks, a young
and handsome monk who fell in love with one of the nuns, and after some
preliminaries, had the courage to ask her for the love of God to grant
him her favours.

The nun, who knew how he was furnished, though she was by nature
courteous, gave him a harsh and sharp reply. He was not to be rebuffed,
however, but continued to implore her love with most humble requests,
until the pretty nun was forced either to lose her reputation for
courtesy, or give the monk what she had granted to many others as soon
as she was asked.

She said to him; "Truly you weary me with requests for that which
honestly I ought not to give you. But I have heard what sort of weapon
you carry, and if it be so you have not much to thank Nature for."

"I do not know who told you," replied the monk, "but I am sure that you
will be satisfied with me, and I will prove to you that I am as good a
man as any other."

"Oh, yes. I b