"Oh, go to the devil!" he cried, "your moments, and you, and your
waggoner as well."

And with that he left, and his friend followed him, and they never had
anything more to do with her,--and for a very good reason.

*****

[Illustration: 55.jpg A cure for the Plague.]

STORY THE FIFTY-FIFTH -- A CURE FOR THE PLAGUE.

By Monseigneur De Villiers.

_Of a girl who was ill of the plague and caused the death of three men
who lay with her, and how the fourth was saved, and she also._

In the year of the pardons of Rome (*) just past, the plague was
so great and terrible in Dauphine, that the greater part of the
better-class people left the country.

(*) The great Jubilee of 1450.

At that time a fair, young damsel felt herself stricken with the malady,
and at once repaired to a neighbour, a woman of good condition, and
rather old, and related her piteous condition.

The neighbour, who was a wise and prudent woman, was not frightened
at what the told her, and had even sufficient courage and assurance
to comfort her with words, and what little she could do in the way of
medicine. "Alas!" said the young girl who was sick, "my good neighbour,
I greatly grieve that I must now leave the world and all the happinesses
and amusements I have long enjoyed! But, by my oath! and between
ourselves, my greatest sorrow is that I must die before I have known and
tasted the good things of this world; such and such young men have often
solicited me, and I bluntly refused them, for which I am now sorry; and
if I die I shall never have another chance to let a man show me how to
lose my maidenhead. They have told me that it is so pleasant and good,
that I sorrow for my fair and tender body, which must rot without
having had this much desired pleasure. And, to tell the truth, my good
neighbour, it seems to me that if I once tasted this delight before my
death, my end would be easier--I should die more easily, and with less
regret. And, what is more, my heart is so set upon this that it might be
medicine to me, and the cause of my cure."

"Would to God!" said the old woman, "that nothing else were needed; you
would be soon cured it seems to me, for--thank God--our town is not yet
so destitute of of men that we cannot find a good fellow to do this job
for you."

"My good neighbour," said the young girl, "I would beg of you to go
to such an one"--whom she named, who was a fine gentleman, and who had
formerly been in l