ived. But if he
had been love sick before he made the avowal, he was still more
so afterwards. He could not sleep night or day for thinking of his
mistress, and by what means he could gain her favour.

He returned to the charge when he saw his opportunity, and God knows,
if he spoke well the first time, he played his part still better on
the second occasion, and, by good luck, he found his mistress not
disinclined to grant his request,--at which he was in no small degree
pleased. And as he had not always the time or leisure to come and see
her, he told her on that occasion of the desire he had to do her a
service in any manner that he could, and she thanked him and was as kind
as could be.

In short, he found in her so great courtesy, and kindness, and fair
words, that he could not reasonably expect more, and thereupon wished to
kiss, but she refused point-blank; nor could he even obtain a kiss when
he said farewell, at which he was much astonished.

After he had left her, he doubted much whether he should ever gain her
love, seeing that he could not obtain a single kiss, but he comforted
himself by remembering the loving words she had said when they parted,
and the hope she had given him.

He again laid siege to her; in short, came and went so often, that his
mistress at last gave him a secret assignation, where they could say
all that they had to say, in private. And when he took leave of her, he
embraced her gently and would have kissed her, but she defended herself
vigorously, and said to him, harshly;

"Go away, go away! and leave me alone! I do not want to be kissed!"

He excused his conduct as he best could, and left.

"What is this?" he said to himself. "I have never seen a woman like
that! She gives me the best possible reception, and has already given
me all that I have dared to ask--yet I cannot obtain one poor, little
kiss."

At the appointed time, he went to the place his mistress had named, and
did at his leisure that for which he came, for he lay in her arms all
one happy night, and did whatsoever he wished, except kiss her, and that
he could never manage.

"I do not understand these manners," he said to himself; "this woman
lets me sleep with her, and do whatever I like to her; but I have no
more chance of getting a single kiss than I have of finding the true
Cross! Morbleu! I cannot make it out; there is some mystery about it,
and I must find out what it is."

One day when they were enjoyin