g man enter,
that he should not be discovered if the husband returned. "My mistress
will come and talk to you and let you out," added the merchant as he
turned the key in the lock.

The gallant suffered all this for the sake of what was to follow, and
because he believed that the other spoke the truth.

Then the merchant started off at once as quickly as he could, and went
to the cousin and his wife, and said to them:

"The rat is caught; but now we must consider what to do."

The cousin, and more particularly his wife--for there was no love lost
between the two women--were very glad to hear this, and said that it
would be best for him to show the gallant to all his wife's relations in
order that they might know how she conducted herself.

This being determined on, the merchant went to the house of his wife's
father and mother, and told them that if ever they wished to see their
daughter alive they must come at once to his house.

They jumped up at once, and, whilst they were preparing, he also went
off to two of her brothers and her sisters, and told them the same
thing. Then he took them all to the cousin's house, and related the
whole history, and how the rat had been caught.

Now you must know what the gallant did in the bin all the time, until
he was luckily released. The damsel, who wondered greatly that her lover
did not come, went backwards and forwards to the door, to see if he
were coming. The young man, who heard her pass close to him without ever
speaking to him, began to thump with his fist on the side of the bin.
The damsel heard it, and was greatly frightened; nevertheless she asked
who was there, and the gallant replied;

"Alas, my dearest love, I am dying here of heat and doubt, for I am much
surprised that I have been shut in here, and that no one has yet come to
me."

"Virgin Mary! who can have put you there, my dear?"

"By my oath I know not," he replied; "but your varlet came to me and
told me that you had asked him to bring me into the house, and that
I was to get into this bin, that the husband might not find me if by
chance he should come back to-night."

"Ah!" said she, "by my life that must have been my husband. I am a lost
woman; and our secret has been discovered."

"Do you know what is to be done?" he said. "In the first place you must
let me out, or I will break everything, for I can no longer endure being
shut up."

"By my oath!" said the damsel, "I have not the key; and if