ife, and entered into the duke's army to avoid
living with her. To this account of her own misfortunes Helena
patiently listened, and when it was ended, the history of Bertram was
not yet done, for then the widow began another tale, every word of
which sank deep into the mind of Helena; for the story she now told was
of Bertram's love for her daughter.

Though Bertram did not like the marriage forced on him by the king, it
seems he was not insensible to love, for since he had been stationed
with the army at Florence, he had fallen in love with Diana, a fair
young gentlewoman, the daughter of this widow who was Helena's hostess;
and every night, with music of all sorts, and songs composed in praise
of Diana's beauty, he would come under her window, and solicit her
love; and all his suit to her was, that she would permit him to visit
her by stealth after the family were retired to rest; but Diana would
by no means be persuaded to grant this improper request, nor give any
encouragement to his suit, knowing him to be a married man; for Diana
had been brought up under the counsels of a prudent mother, who, though
she was now in reduced circumstances, was well born, and descended from
the noble family of the Capulets.

All this the good lady related to Helena, highly praising the virtuous
principles of her discreet daughter, which she said were entirely owing
to the excellent education and good advice she had given her; and she
further said, that Bertram had been particularly importunate with Diana
to admit him to the visit he so much desired that night, because he was
going to leave Florence early the next morning.

Though it grieved Helena to hear of Bertram's love for the widow's
daughter, yet from the story the ardent mind of Helena conceived a
project (nothing discouraged at the ill success of her former one) to
recover her truant lord. She disclosed to the widow that she was
Helena, the deserted wife of Bertram, and requested that her kind
hostess and her daughter would suffer this visit from Bertram to take
place, and allow her to pass herself upon Bertram for Diana; telling
them, her chief motive for desiring to have this secret meeting with
her husband, was to get a ring from him, which he had said, if ever she
was in possession of he would acknowledge her as his wife.

The widow and her daughter promised to assist her in this affair,
partly moved by pity for this unhappy forsaken wife, and partly won
over to her