,
found such a mistress, I think that none could ever have ioved her more
perfectly than I."

"Yet am I of opinion," said Parlamente, "that you would not have been so
blinded by love as not to bind up your arm better than he did. The days
are gone when men were wont to forget their lives for the ladies' sake."

"But those are not gone," said Simontault, "when ladies are apt to
forget their lovers' lives for their pleasure's sake."

"I think," said Ennasuite, "that there is no living woman that can take
pleasure in the death of a man, no, not even though he were her enemy.
Still, if men will indeed kill themselves, the ladies cannot prevent
them."

"Nevertheless," said Saffredent, "she that denies the gift of bread to a
poor starving man is held to be a murderess."

"If your requests," said Oisille, "were as reasonable as those of a poor
man seeking to supply his needs, it would be over cruel of the ladies to
refuse you. God be thanked, however, your sickness kills none but such
as must of necessity die within the year."

"I do not understand, madam," said Saffredent, "that there can be any
greater need than that which causes all others to be forgotten. When
love is deep, no bread and no meat whatsoever can be thought of save the
glance and speech of the woman whom one loves."

"If you were allowed to fast," said Oisille, "with no other meat but
that, you would tell a very different tale."

"I acknowledge," he replied, "that the body might fail, but not so the
heart and will."

"Then," said Parlamente, "God has dealt very mercifully with you in
leading you to have recourse to a quarter where you find such little
contentment that you must needs console yourself with eating and
drinking. Methinks in these matters you acquit yourself so well, that
you should praise God for the tenderness of His cruelty."

"I have been so nurtured in torment," he replied, "that I am beginning
to be well pleased with woes of which other men complain."

"Perhaps," said Longarine, "our complaints debar you from company where
your gladness makes you welcome; for nothing is so vexatious as an
importunate lover."

"Say, rather," answered Simontault, "as a cruel lady ------'"

"I clearly see," said Oisille, "now that the matter touches Simontault,
that, if we stay until he brings his reasonings to an end, we shall find
ourselves at complines (3) rather than vespers. Let us, therefore, go
and praise God that this day has passed witho