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am childless from a constitutional defect； or through your fault。 I
will have handsome cavaliers； in order that I may have an heir。 You
can get the bastards； I the legitimate children。〃
〃My dear；〃 said the bewildered lord； 〃don't shout so。〃
〃But；〃 replied the lady； 〃I will shout； and shout to make myself
heard； heard by the archbishop； heard by the legate； by the king； by
my brothers； who will avenge this infamy for me。〃
〃Do not dishonour your husband！〃
〃This is dishonour then？ You are right； but； my lord； it is not
brought about by you； but by this hussy； whom I will have sewn up in a
sack； and thrown into the Indre； thus your dishonour will be washed
away。 Hi！ there；〃 she called out。
〃Silence； madame！〃 said the sire； as shamefaced as a blind man's dog；
because this great warrior； so ready to kill others； was like a child
in the hands of his wife； a state of affairs to which soldiers are
accustomed； because in them lies the strength and is found all the
dull carnality of matter； while； on the contrary； in woman is a subtle
spirit and a scintillation of perfumed flame that lights up paradise
and dazzles the male。 This is the reason that certain women govern
their husbands； because mind is the master of matter。
（At this the ladies began to laugh； as did also the king）。
〃I will not be silent；〃 said the lady of Cande （said the abbot；
continuing his tale）； 〃I have been too grossly outraged。 This； then；
is the reward of the wealth that I brought you； and of my virtuous
conduct！ Did I ever refuse to obey you even during Lent； and on fast
days？ Am I so cold as to freeze the sun？ Do you think that I embrace
by force； from duty； or pure kindness of heart！ Am I too hallowed for
you to touch？ Am I a holy shrine？ Was there need of a papal brief to
kiss me？ God's truth！ have you had so much of me that you are tired？
Am I not to your taste？ Do charming wenches know more than ladies？ Ha！
perhaps it is so； since she has let you work in the field without
sowing。 Teach me the business； I will practice it with those whom I
take into my service； for it is settled that I am free。 That is as we
should be。 Your society was wearisome； and the little pleasure I
derived from it cost me too dear。 Thank God！ I am quit of you and your
whims； because I intend to retire to a monastery。〃 。 。 。 She meant to
say a convent； but this avenging monk had perverted her tongue。
〃And I shall be more comfortable in this monastery with my daughter；
than in this place of abominable wickedness。 You can inherit from your
wench。 Ha； ha！ The fine lady of Cande！ Look at her！〃
〃What is the matter？〃 said Amador； appearing suddenly upon the scene。
〃The matter is； my father；〃 replied she； 〃that my wrongs cry aloud for
vengeance。 To begin with； I shall have this trollop thrown into the
river； sewn up in a sack； for having diverted the seed of the House of
Cande from its proper channel。 It will be saving the hangman a job。
For the rest I will〃
〃Abandon your anger； my daughter；〃 said the monk。 〃It is commanded us
by the Church to forgive those who trespass against us； if we would
find favour in the side of Heaven； because you pardon those who also
pardon others。 God avenges himself eternally on those who have avenged
themselves； but keeps in His paradise those who have pardoned。 From
that comes the jubilee； which is a day of great rejoicing； because all
debts and offences are forgiven。 Thus it is a source of happiness to
pardon。 Pardon！ Pardon！ To pardon is a most holy work。 Pardon
Monseigneur de Cande； who will bless you for your gracious clemency；
and will henceforth love you much； This forgiveness will restore to
you the flower of youth； and believe； my dear sweet young lady； that
forgiveness is in certain cases the best means of vengeance。 Pardon
your maid…servant； who will pray heaven for you。 Thus God； supplicated
by all； will have you in His keeping； and will bless you with male
lineage for this pardon。〃
Thus saying； the monk took the hand of the sire； placed it in that of
the lady； and added
〃Go and talk over the pardon。〃
And then he whispered into the husband's ears this sage advice
〃My lord； use your best argument； and you will silence her with it；
because a woman's mouth it is only full of words when she is empty
elsewhere。 Argue continually； and thus you will always have the upper
hand of your wife。〃
〃By the body of the Jupiter！ There's good in this monk after all；〃
said the seigneur； as he went out。
As soon as Amador found himself alone with Perrotte he spoke to her；
as follows
〃You are to blame； my dear； for having wished to torment a poor
servant of God； therefore are you now the object of celestial wrath；
which will fall upon you。 To whatever place you fly it will always
follow you； will seize upon you in every limb； even after your death；
and will cook you like a pasty in the oven of hell； where you will
simmer eternally； and every day you will receive seven hundred
thousand million lashes of the whip； for the one I received through
you。〃
〃Ah！ holy Father；〃 said the wench； casting herself at the monk's feet；
〃you alone can save me； for in your gown I should be sheltered from
the anger of God。〃
Saying this； she raised the robe to place herself beneath it； and
exclaimed
〃By my faith！ monks are better than knights。〃
〃By the sulphur of the devil！ You are not acquainted with the monks？〃
〃No；〃 said Perrotte。
〃And you don't know the service that monks sing without saying a
word？〃
〃No。〃
Thereupon the monk went through this said service for her； as it is
sung on great feast days； with all the grand effects used in
monasteries； the psalms well chanted in f major； the flaming tapers；
and the choristers； and explained to her the /Introit/； and also the
/ite missa est/； and departed； leaving her so sanctified that the
wrath of heaven would have great difficulty in discovering any portion
of the girl that was not thoroughly monasticated。
By his orders； Perrotte conducted him to Mademoiselle de Cande； the
lord's sister； to whom he went in order to learn if it was her desire
to confess to him； because monks came so rarely to the castle。 The
lady was delighted； as would any good Christian have been； at such a
chance of clearing out her conscience。 Amador requested her to show
him her conscience； and she having allowed him to see that which he
considered the conscience of old maids； he found it in a bad state；
and told her that the sins of women were accomplished there； that to
be for the future without sin it was necessary to have the conscience
corked up by a monk's indulgence。 The poor ignorant lady having
replied that she did not know where these indulgences were to be had；
the monk informed her that he had a relic with him which enabled him
to grant one； that nothing was more indulgent than this relic； because
without saying a word it produced i