le, he
retired early, accompanied only by the lady's brother, and failed not to
attire himself in a perfumed shirt and head-gear. Then, when every one
was gone to rest, he went with the gentleman to the lady's abode, where
he was conducted into a well-appointed apartment.

Having undressed him and put him to bed, the gentleman said--

"My lord, I will now go and fetch you one who will assuredly not enter
this room without blushing; but I hope that before morning she will have
lost all fear of you."

Leaving the Duke, he then went to his own room, where he found one of
his servants, to whom he said--

"Are you brave enough to follow me to a place where I desire to avenge
myself upon my greatest living enemy?"

The other, who was ignorant of his master's purpose, replied--

"Yes, sir, though it were the Duke himself."

Thereupon the gentleman led him away in such haste as to leave him no
time to take any weapon except a poignard that he was wearing.

The Duke, on hearing the gentleman coming back again, thought that he
was bringing the loved one with him, and, opening his eyes, drew back
the curtains in order to see and welcome the joy for which he had so
long been waiting. But instead of seeing her who, so he hoped, was to
preserve his life, he beheld something intended to take his life away,
that is, a naked sword which the gentleman had drawn, and with which he
smote the Duke. The latter was wearing nothing but his shirt, and lacked
weapons, though not courage, for sitting up in the bed he seized the
gentleman round the body, saying--

"Is this the way you keep your promise?"

Then, armed as he was only with his teeth and nails, he bit the
gentleman's thumb, and wrestled with him so stoutly that they both fell
down beside the bed.

The gentleman, not feeling altogether confident, called to his servant,
who, finding the Duke and his master so closely twined together that
he could not tell the one from the other, dragged them both by the feet
into the middle of the room, and then tried to cut the Duke's throat
with his poignard. The Duke defended himself until he was so exhausted
through loss of blood that he could do no more, whereupon the gentleman
and his servant lifted him upon the bed and finished him with their
daggers. They then drew the curtain and went away, leaving the dead body
shut up in the room.

Having vanquished his great enemy, by whose death he hoped to free
his country, the gentleman ref