you break
through, I am undone, for my husband will say that I did it to save
you."

Finally, the damsel searched about, and found a lot of old keys, amongst
which was one that delivered the poor captive. As soon as he was out,
he tumbled the lady, to show her what a grudge he had against her, which
she bore patiently. After that her lover would have left her, but the
damsel hung round his neck, and told him that if he went away like that,
she would be as much dishonoured as though he had broken out of the bin.

"What is to be done then?" said the gallant.

"We must put something there for my husband to find, or he will think
that I have let you out."

"And what shall we put there?" asked the lover. "For it is time for me
to go."

"We have in the stable," she said, "an ass, that we will put in if you
will help me."

"Certainly, I will," he answered.

The ass was driven into the bin, and it was locked again, and then her
lover took leave of her with a sweet kiss, and left by a back-door,
whilst the damsel quickly got into bed.

Whilst these things were happening, her husband had assembled all his
wife's relatives, and brought them to his cousin's house, as has been
said, where he informed them of what he had done, and how he had caught
the gallant, and had him under lock and key.

"And in order that you shall not say," he added, "that I blame your
daughter without cause, you shall both see and touch the scoundrel who
has done us this dishonour, and I beg that he may be killed before he
can get away."

Every one present declared that it should be so.

"And then," said the merchant, "I will send you back your daughter for
such as she is."

With that they all accompanied him, though sorrowing much at the news,
and they took with them torches and flambeaux, so as to be better able
to search, and that nothing should escape them.

They knocked so loudly that the damsel came before anyone else in the
house was awakened, and opened the door, and when they had come in, she
abused her husband, her father, her mother, and the others, and declared
that she wondered greatly what could have brought them all at that hour
of the night. At these words her husband stepped forward, and gave her a
good buffet, and said,

"You shall know soon enough, false such and such that you are."

"Ah! take care what you say. Was it for that you brought my father and
mother here?"

"Yes," said the mother, "false wench that you are