at
"donna terribilissima!" as De Lussy called her--in such an
ideal light that M. de Lincy's surmise may well be a correct
one despite the attributes of honour, virtue and beauty
bestowed on the lady whom she speaks of.--Ed.

Among others there came a lady who hearkened whilst the rest told every
story they could think of in order to amuse the Princess. This lady then
resolved that she would not be behind the others, and accordingly said--

"Madam, I will tell you a fine story, but you must promise me not to
speak of it."

Then she forthwith continued--

"The story, madam, is on my conscience a perfectly true one, and
concerns a married lady who lived in all honour with her husband,
although he was old and she was young. A gentleman who was her
neighbour, seeing her married to this old man, fell in love with her,
and importuned her for several years; but never received of her any
reply save such as a virtuous woman should make. One day the gentleman
bethought him that if he could take her at a disadvantage she might
perchance be less harsh towards him, and, after he had for a long while
weighed the danger that he might run, his love for the lady wholly
banished his fears, and he resolved to find a time and place. He kept
excellent watch, and so one morning, when the lady's husband was going
to another of his houses, and leaving at daybreak by reason of the heat,
the young gallant came to the house, where he found the lady asleep in
her bed, and perceived that the serving-women were gone out of the room.

"Then, without having sense enough to fasten the door, he got into the
lady's bed all booted and spurred as he was, and when she awoke, she was
as distressed as she could possibly be. But in spite of any remonstrance
that she could make to him, he took her by force, saying that if she
should make the matter known he would tell every one that she had sent
for him; and at this the lady was so greatly afraid that she durst not
cry out. Afterwards, on some of her women coming in, he rose in haste
and would have been perceived by none if his spur, which had become
fastened in the upper sheet, had not drawn it right off, leaving the
lady quite naked in her bed."

So far the lady had told the story as if of another, but at the end she
involuntarily said--

"Never was a woman so confounded as I was, when I found myself lying
quite naked."

At these last words the lady, who had hitherto hearkened to