would support my opinion if she were
willing to say what she knows about women."

Forthwith all the company turned towards Oisille, and begged of her to
proceed, to which she consented, and, laughing, began as follows--

"It seems to me, ladies, that he who has given me his vote has spoken so
ill of our sex in his true story of a wicked woman, that I must call to
mind all the years of my long life to find one whose virtue will suffice
to gainsay his evil opinion. However, as I have bethought me of one
worthy to be remembered, I will now relate her history to you."

[Illustration: 056.jpg Tailpiece]

[Illustration: 057a.jpg The Muleteer's Servant attacking his Mistress]

[The Muleteer's Servant attacking his Mistress]

[Illustration: 057.jpg Page Image]

_TALE II._

_The wife of a muleteer of Amboise chose rather to die
cruelly at the hands of her servant than to fall in with his
wicked purpose_.(1)

In the town of Amboise there was a muleteer in the service of the Queen
of Navarre, sister to King Francis, first of that name. She being
at Blois, where she had been brought to bed of a son, the aforesaid
muleteer went thither to receive his quarterly payment, whilst his wife
remained at Amboise in a lodging beyond the bridges.(2)

1 The incidents of this story probably took place at
Amboise, subsequent, however, to the month of August 1530,
when Margaret was confined of her son John.--L.

2 Amboise is on the left bank of the Loire, and there have
never been any buildings on the opposite bank. However,
the bridge over the river intersects the island of St. Jean,
which is covered with houses, and here the muleteer's wife
evidently resided.--M.

Now it happened that one of her husband's servants had long loved her
exceedingly, and one day he could not refrain from speaking of it
to her. She, however, being a truly virtuous woman, rebuked him so
severely, threatening to have him beaten and dismissed by her husband,
that from that time forth he did not venture to speak to her in any such
way again or to let his love be seen, but kept the fire hidden within
his breast until the day when his master had gone from home and his
mistress was at vespers at St. Florentin,(3) the castle church, a long
way from the muleteer's house.

3 The Church of St. Florentin here mentioned must not be
confounded with that of the same name near one of the ga