onscience la deffende.
Et particulierement ce fut en un jardin qui est a l'un des fauxbourgs de
la ville." Some tale-bearers, putting the worst construction on their
behaviour, gave information to Lisandre, the husband of Sylvie, but he
refused to credit anything to the dishonour of his wife. To stop gossip,
however, he took her with him to a house he had not far from the town.
But the lovers communicated with one another by messengers, till
Lisandre's departure on a journey removed all obstacle to their
intercourse. "Ce Seigneur avait des affaires hors de la province ou il
faisoit pour lors sa demeure. Pour les terminer, il s'y achemine au
grand contentement de Sylvie, qui neantmoins contrefaisoit la dolente a
son depart & le sommoit de revenir le plustot qu'il luy seroit possible,
tandis que dans son ame elle prioit a Dieu que son voyage fust aussi
long que celuy d'Ulysse." When he was gone, she immediately sent for
Lysis, and they spent two or three days in transports of delight, though
she continued to safeguard her honour.

On Lisandre's return the King, instigated by the enemies of Lysis,
reproached the former for tamely enduring dishonour, and bade him never
reappear in the royal presence till he had wiped out the stain. Lisandre
therefore offered his wife the choice of three courses. She was to
swallow poison, or die beneath his dagger, or write to Lysis, telling
him that Lisandre was still absent, and begging him to come to her.
After a struggle Sylvie wrote the fatal missive, and Lysis, though at
the castle gate he was overcome by a premonition of evil and almost
turned back, was obedient to her summons, and entered her chamber
unarmed. The final scene is thus described.

"A l'instant il se void environne d'une douzaine d'hommes armez, qui de
pistolets, qui d'espees nues, et qui de hallebardes. Lisandre est parmy
eux, qui luy crie: 'C'est maintenant que tu recevras le salaire de la
honte que tu as faicte a ma maison. Ce disant, il lasche un pistolet, et
luy perce un bras. Les autres le chargent avec leurs halebardes, et avec
leurs espees. . . . Le valeureux Lysis . . . avec un escabeau qu'il
tient en main donne si rudement sur la teste de l'un de ses adversaires,
qu'il en fait sortir la cervelle. Il en assomme encores deux autres:
mais que peut-il faire contre tant de gens, & ainsi desarme qu'il est?
Son corps perce comme un crible, verse un grand ruisseau de sang. En fin
il se jette sur Lisandre, et bien que