Die! said Longarine. Methinks that you and the others here present are now worth more crowns than you were worth pence before you were wed.
And I know why, said Saffredent; it is because our worth is often tried. Still our shoulders are sensible of having worn the cuirass so long.
If, said Ennasuite, you had been obliged to wear harness for a month and lie on the hard ground, you would greatly long to regain the bed of your excellent wife, and wear the cuirass of which you now complain. But it is said that everything can be endured except ease, and that none know what rest is until they have lost it. This foolish woman, who laughed when her husband was merry, was fond of taking her rest under any circumstances.
I am sure, said Longarine, that she loved her rest better than her husband, since she took nothing that he did to heart.
She did take to heart, said Parlamente, those things which might have been hurtful to his conscience and his health, but she would not dwell upon trifles.
When you speak of conscience, said Simontault you make me laugh. Tis a thing to which I would have no woman give heed.
It would be a good thing, said Nomerfide, if you had a wife like one who, after her husbands death, proved that she loved her money better than her conscience.
I pray you, said Saffredent, tell us that tale. I give you my vote.
I had not intended, said Nomcrfide, to relate so short a story, but, since it is suited to the occasion, I will do so.
[Illustration: 043a.jpg The Servant selling the Horse with the Cat]
[The Servant selling the Horse with the Cat]
_A merchants widow, whilst carrying out her husbands will, interpreted its purport to the advantage of herself and her children_. (1)
In the town of Safagossa there lived a rich merchant, who, finding his death draw nigh, and himself no longer able to retain possession of his goods---which he had perchance gathered together by evil means--thought that if he made a little present to God, he might thus after his death make part atonement for his sins, just as though God sold His pardon for money. Accordingly, when he had settled matters in respect of his house, he declared it to be his desire that a fine Spanish horse which he possessed should be sold for as much as it would bring, and the money obtained for it be distributed among the poor. And he begged his wife that she would in no wise fail to sell the horse as soon as he was dead, and distribute the money in the manner he had commanded.