h a chamber, and I will give you a
reply that will please you."

She was greatly thanked, and at the hour named, the clerk did not fail
to rap at the door of the chamber the lady had indicated, where she was
quietly awaiting him with her fine hauberk on her back.

She opened the door, and the clerk saw her armed, and thinking that some
one was concealed there to do him a mischief, was so scared that, in his
fright, he tumbled down backwards I know not how many stairs, and might
have broken his neck, but luckily he was not hurt, for, being in a good
cause, God protected him.

Madame, who saw his danger, was much vexed and displeased; she ran down
and helped him to rise, and asked why he was in such fear? He told her
that truly he thought he had fallen into an ambush.

"You have nothing to fear," she said, "I am not armed with the intention
of doing you any hurt," and so saying they mounted the stairs together,
and entered the chamber.

"Madame," said the clerk, "I beg of you to tell me, if you please, why
you have put on this hauberk?"

She blushed and replied, "You know very well."

"By my oath, madame, begging your pardon," said he, "if I had known I
should not have asked."

"My husband," she replied, "whenever he would kiss me, and talk of love,
makes me dress in this way; and as I know that you have come here for
that purpose, I prepared myself accordingly."

"Madame," he said, "you are right, and I remember now that it is the
manner of knights to arm their ladies in this way. But clerks
have another method, which, in my opinion is much nicer and more
comfortable."

"Please tell me what that is," said the lady.

"I will show you," he replied. Then he took off the hauberk, and the
rest of her apparel down to her chemise, and he also undressed himself,
and they got into the fair bed that was there, and--both being disarmed
even of their chemises--passed two or three hours very pleasantly. And
before leaving, the clerk showed her the method used by clerks, which
she greatly praised, as being much better than that of knights. They
often met afterwards, also in the same way, without its becoming known,
although the lady was not over-cunning.

After a certain time, her husband returned from the war, at which she
was not inwardly pleased, though outwardly she tried to pretend to be.
His coming was known, and God knows how great a dinner was prepared.
Dinner passed, and grace being said, the knight--to show he