have told me true, I promise you he shall
not live four and twenty hours. But he has sworn to the contrary, and I
have myself never perceived any such fault, and so I cannot believe it
without complete proof."

"In good sooth, my lord," she replied, "your goodness renders his
wickedness the greater. What more complete proof would you have than
this, that no love affair has ever been imputed to him? Believe me, my
lord, were it not for the lofty purpose that he took into his head of
being my lover, he would not have continued so long without a mistress;
for never did a young man live solitary as he does in such good company,
unless he had fixed his heart so high as to be content merely with his
own vain hope. Since, then, you think that he is not hiding the truth
from you, put him, I beg you, on oath as regards his love. If he loves
another, I am content that you should believe him, and if not, you will
know that what I say is true."

The Duke thought his wife's reasonings very good, and, taking the
gentleman into the country with him, said--

"My wife continues still of the same mind, and has set before me an
argument that causes me grave suspicion against you. It is deemed
strange that you who are so gallant and young have never been known to
love, and this makes me think that you have such affection for her as
she says, and that the hope it gives you renders you content to think
of no other woman. As a friend, therefore, I pray you, and as a master I
command you to tell me whether you are in love with any lady on earth."

Although the gentleman would have fain concealed his passion yet as
he loved his life, he was obliged, on seeing his master's jealousy, to
swear to him that he did indeed love one whose beauty was so great, that
the beauty of the Duchess or of any lady of the Court would be simply
ugliness beside it. But he entreated that he might never be compelled to
name her, since the agreement between himself and his sweetheart was of
such a nature that it could not be broken excepting by whichever of them
should be the first to make it known.

The Duke promised not to urge him, and being quite satisfied with him,
treated him with more kindness than ever before. The Duchess perceived
this, and set herself with her wonted craft to find out the reason.
The Duke did not hide it from her; whereupon strong jealousy sprang up
beside her desire for vengeance, and she begged her husband to command
the gentleman to