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e off his bandages and bled to death.--Ed. So long as Jambicque dwelt with her mistress, the gentleman returned not to the Princess's house, nor did he ever have tidings of her who had vowed to him that he should lose her as soon as he might seek her out. (5) 5 After referring to this tale Brantome adds that he had heard tell of another Court lady who was minded to imitate Jambicque, but who, "every time she returned from her assignation, went straight to her room, and let one of her serving maids examine her on all sides to see if she were marked. By this means she guarded herself against being surprised and recognised, and indeed was never marked until at her ninth assignation, when the mark was at once discovered by her women. And thereupon, for fear of scandal and opprobrium, she broke off her intrigue and never more returned to the appointed spot. Some one said 'twould have been better if she had let her lover mark her as often as he liked, and each time have had his marks effaced, for in this wise she would have reaped a double pleasure--contentment in love and satisfaction at duping her lover, who, like he who seeks the Philosopher's Stone, would have toiled hard to discover and identify her, without ever succeeding in doing so."--(Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, pp. 236-8).--M. "By this tale, ladies, you may see how one who preferred the world's esteem to a good conscience lost both the one and the other. For now may the eyes of all men read what she strove to hide from those of her lover, and so, whilst fleeing the derision of one, she has incurred the derision of all. Nor can she be held excused on the score of simplicity and artless love, for which all men should have pity, but she must be condemned twice over for having concealed her wickedness with the twofold cloak of honour and glory, and for making herself appear before God and man other than she really was. He, however, who gives not His glory to another, took this cloak from off her and so brought her to double shame." "Her wickedness," said Oisille, "was without excuse. None can defend her when God, Honour, and even Love are her accusers." "Nay," said Hircan, "Pleasure and Folly may; they are the true chief advocates of the ladies." "If we had no other advocates," said Parlamente, "than those you name, our cause would indeed be ill supported; but
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