silent, and I am sure that there is no one here but would do the same
if he had the same reasons that I have. By heavens! if I were as rich
as the King of France, or the Duke of Burgundy, or all the princes of
Christendom, I should not be able to provide that which, apparently, I
shall _have_ to provide. I have but touched my wife once, and she has
brought forth a child! Now if each time that I begin again she does the
same, how shall I be able to keep my family?"

"What? a child?" said his friends.

"Yes, yes! Really a child! Look here!" and he turned towards the bed and
lifted up the clothes and showed them.

"There!" said he. "There is the cow and the calf! Am I not well
swindled?"

Many of his friends were much astonished, and quite excused their host's
conduct, and went away each to his own home. And the poor bridegroom
abandoned his newly-delivered bride the first night, fearing that she
would do the same another time, and not knowing what would become of him
if so.

*****

STORY THE THIRTIETH -- THE THREE CORDELIERS.

By Monsigneur De Beauvoir

_Of three merchants of Savoy who went on a pilgrimage to St. Anthony in
Bienne, (*) and who were deceived and cuckolded by three Cordeliers who
slept with their wives. And how the women thought they had been with
their husbands, and how their husbands came to know of it, and of the
steps they took, as you shall shortly hear._

(*) This according to M. Lacroix is the old town of La Mothe
St. Didier in Dauphine, which took the name of Saint Antoine
on account of the relics of the Saint, which were brought
there in the 11th century.

It is as true as the Gospel, that three worthy merchants of Savoy set
out with their wives to go on a pilgrimage to St. Anthony of Vienne. And
in order to render their journey more devout and more agreeable to God
and St. Anthony, they determined that from the time they left their
houses, and all through the journey, they would not sleep with their
wives, but live in continence, both going and returning.

They arrived one night in the town, where they found good lodgings, and
had excellent cheer at supper, like those who have plenty of money and
know well what to do with it, and enjoyed themselves so much that each
determined to break his oath, and sleep with his wife.

However, it happened otherwise, for when it was time to retire to rest,
the women said good night to their husbands and left them, and shut