d been
mystified. After much thought, he resolved that the best thing to do was
to follow her, as he thought he might overtake her.

He took leave of his master and set out, and followed the trail of their
horses, but did not catch them up before they came to Brabant, where
he arrived opportunely on the day of the marriage of the woman who had
tested his affection.

He wished to kiss her and salute her, and make some poor excuse for his
fault, but he was not able to do so, for she turned her back on him,
and he could not, all the time that he was there, find an opportunity of
talking with her.

Once he advanced to lead her to the dance, but she flatly refused in the
face of all the company, many of whom took note of the incident. For,
not long after, another gentleman entered, and caused the minstrels to
strike up, and advanced towards her, and she came down and danced with
him.

Thus, as you have heard, did the false lover lose his mistress. If there
are others like him, let them take warning by this example, which is
perfectly true, and is well known, and happened not so very long ago.

*****

[Illustration: 27.jpg THE HUSBAND IN THE CLOTHES-CHEST.]

STORY THE TWENTY-SEVENTH -- THE HUSBAND IN THE CLOTHES-CHEST. [27]

By Monseigneur De Beauvoir.

_Of a great lord of this kingdom and a married lady, who in order
that she might be with her lover caused her husband to be shut in a
clothes-chest by her waiting women, and kept him there all the night,
whilst she passed the time with her lover; and of the wagers made
between her and the said husband, as you will find afterwards recorded._

It is not an unusual thing, especially in this country, for fair dames
and damsels to often and willingly keep company with young gentlemen,
and the pleasant joyful games they have together, and the kind requests
which are made, are not difficult to guess.

Not long ago, there was a most noble lord, who might be reckoned as one
of the princes, but whose name shall not issue from my pen, who was much
in the good graces of a damsel who was married, and of whom report spoke
so highly that the greatest personage in the kingdom might have deemed
himself lucky to be her lover.

She would have liked to prove to him how greatly she esteemed him,
but it was not easy; there were so many adversaries and enemies to be
outwitted. And what more especially annoyed her was her worthy husband,
who kept to the house and played the