use.

The lady, who had come off victorious, knew that there was no man at her
brother's Court that durst attempt such an enterprise save him who had
had the boldness to declare his love to her. She therefore concluded
that it was indeed her host, and made search through the room with her
lady of honour to discover how he could have entered it. But in this she
failed, whereupon she said to her companion in great anger--

"You may be sure that it can have been none other than the lord of this
house, and I will make such report of him to my brother in the morning
that his head shall bear witness to my chastity."

Seeing her in such wrath, the lady of honour said to her--

"Right glad am I, madam, to find you esteem your honour so highly that,
to exalt it, you would not spare the life of a man who, for the love
he bears you, has put it to this risk. But it often happens that one
lessens what one thinks to increase; wherefore, I pray you, madam, tell
me the truth of the whole matter."

When the lady had fully related the business, the lady of honour said to
her--

"You assure me that he had nothing from you save only scratches and
blows?"

"I do assure you that it was so," said the lady; "and, unless he find a
rare surgeon, I am certain his face will bear the marks tomorrow."

"Well, since it is thus, madam," said the lady of honour, "it seems to
me that you have more reason to thank God than to think of vengeance;
for you may well believe that, since the gentleman had spirit enough
to make such an attempt, his grief at having failed will be harder
of endurance than any death you could award him. If you desire to be
revenged on him, let love and shame do their work; they will torment
him more grievously than could you. And if you would speak out for your
honour's sake,(10) beware, madam, lest you fall into a mishap like to
his own.

10 In Boaistuau's edition this passage runs: "Let love and
shame do their work, they will know better than you how to
torment him; and do this for your honour's sake. Beware,"
&c.--L.

He, instead of obtaining the greatest delight he could imagine, has
encountered the gravest vexation any gentleman could endure. So you,
madam, thinking to exalt your honour, may perchance diminish it. If you
make complaint, you will bring to light what is known to none, for you
may rest assured that the gentleman on his side will never reveal aught
of the matter. And even if my