rthless? I can assure you that if it had fallen
into my hands, neither his wife nor his relations would have seen aught
of it. Nothing is more wholly one's own than a gift. The gentleman was
dead, no one knew anything about the matter, and she might well have
spared the poor old woman so much sorrow."

"By my word," said Hircan, "you are right. There are women who, to
make themselves appear of better heart than others, do things that are
clearly contrary to their notions, for we all know that women are
the most avaricious of beings, yet their vanity often surpasses their
avarice, and constrains their hearts to actions that they would rather
not perform. My belief is that the lady who gave the diamond away in
this fashion was unworthy to wear it."

"Softly, softly," said Oisille; "I believe I know who she is, and I
therefore beg that you will not condemn her unheard."

"Madam," said Hircan, "I do not condemn her at all; but if the gentleman
was as virtuous as you say, it were an honour to have such a lover, and
to wear his ring; but perhaps some one less worthy of being loved than
he held her so fast by the finger that the ring could not be put on."

"Truly," said Ennasuite, "she might well have kept it, seeing that no
one knew anything about it."

"What!" said Geburon; "are all things lawful to those who love, provided
no one knows anything about them?"

"By my word," said Saffredent, "the only misdeed that I have ever seen
punished is foolishness. There is never a murderer, robber, or adulterer
condemned by the courts or blamed by his fellows, if only he be as
cunning as he is wicked. Oft-time, however, a bad man's wickedness so
blinds him that he becomes a fool; and thus, as I have just said, it is
the foolish only that are punished, not the vicious."

"You may say what you please," said Oisille, "only God can judge the
lady's heart; but for my part, I think that her action was a very
honourable and virtuous one. (7) However, to put an end to the debate, I
pray you, Parlamente, to give some one your vote."

7 In our opinion this sentence disposes of Miss Mary
Robinson's supposition (_The Fortunate Lovers_, London,
1887, p. 159) that Oisille (i.e., Louise of Savoy) is the
real heroine of this tale. Queen Margaret would hardly have
represented her commending her own action. If any one of the
narrators of the _Heptameron_ be the heroine of the story,
the presumptions are in fa