habit and would not come. Message after message was sent to him, for his
good mother, who was nearing her end, wished to recommend her soul to
her son's care,--but to all the messages he replied;

"I am sure there is no hurry: she will wait till my habit is finished."

At last so many remonstrances were made to him that he went to his
mother, wearing a doublet with no sleeves to it, which, when she saw,
she asked him where were the sleeves.

"They are within there,--waiting to be finished as soon as you clear out
of the place."

"Then they will be soon finished," she replied; "for I go to God, to
whom I humbly recommend my soul; and to you also, my son."

Without another word she rendered her soul to God, with the Cross
between her arms; on seeing which her good son began to weep so loudly
that no one had ever heard the like; he could not be comforted, and at
the end of a fortnight he died of grief.

*****

[Illustration: 78.jpg The Husband turned Confessor.]

STORY THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH -- THE HUSBAND TURNED CONFESSOR. [78]

By Jehan Martin.

_Of a married gentleman who made many long voyages, during which time
his good and virtuous wife made the acquaintance of three good fellows,
as you will hear; and how she confessed her amours to her husband when
he returned from his travels, thinking she was confessing to the cure,
and how she excused herself, as will appear._

The province of Brabant is a fair and pleasant land, well provided with
pretty girls, who are generally clever and good; but as for the men, it
is said of them, with a good deal of truth, that the longer they live
the greater fools they become.

There was formerly a gentleman of this land who--being thereunto born
and destined--travelled much beyond seas to various places, as Cyprus,
Rhodes, and the adjacent parts, and at last came to Jerusalem, where he
received the order of knighthood.

During the time that he was away, his good wife was not idle, but took
her _quoniam_ with three lovers, who like courtiers, each had audience
in turn and for a certain time.

First came a gentle squire, fresh and frisky, and in good health, who
spent so much upon her, physically and pecuniarily (for in truth
she plucked him well) that at last he was sick of it, and left her
altogether.

The one who came after him was a knight, and a man of a great
reputation, who was very glad to have acquired the succession, and
worked her as well as he could