The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. II | Page 7

again took her in his arms, and with such
exceeding ardour that his enfeebled heart, unable to endure the effort,
was deprived of all its faculties and life; for joy caused it so to swell
that the soul was severed from its abode and took flight to its Creator.
And even when the poor body had lain a long time without life, and
was thus unable to retain its hold, the love which the damsel had
always concealed was made manifest in such a fashion that her mother
and the dead man's servants had much ado to separate her from her
lover. However, the girl, who, though living, was in a worse condition
than if she had been dead, was by force removed at last out of the
gentleman's arms. To him they gave honourable burial; and the
crowning point of the ceremony was the weeping and lamentation of
the unhappy damsel, who having concealed her love during his lifetime,
made it all the more manifest after his death, as though she wished to
atone for the wrong that she had done him. And I have heard that
although she was given a husband to comfort her, she has never since
had joy in her heart. (1)
1 By an expression made use of by Dagoucin (see ante), Queen
Margaret gives us to understand that the incidents here related occurred
three years prior to the writing of the story. It may be pointed out,
however, that there is considerable analogy between the conclusion of
this tale and the death of Geffroy Rudel de Blaye, one of the earliest
troubadours whose name has been handed down to us. Geffroy, who
lived at the close of the twelfth century, became so madly enamoured
of the charms of the Countess of Tripoli, after merely hearing an
account of her moral and physical perfections, that, although in failing
health, he embarked for Africa to see her. On reaching the port of
Tripoli, he no longer had sufficient strength to leave the vessel,
whereupon the Countess, touched by his love, visited him on board,
taking his hand and giving him a kindly greeting. Geffroy could
scarcely say a few words of thanks; his emotion was so acute that he
died upon the spot. See J. de Nostredame's _Vies des plus Célèbres et
Anciens Poëtes Provençaux(Lyons, 1575, p. 25); Raynouard's Choix
des Poésies des Troubadours_ (vol. v. p. 165); and also Raynouard's
Histoire Littéraire de la France (vol. xiv. p. 559).--L.

"What think you of that, gentlemen, you who would not believe what I
said? Is not this example sufficient to make you confess that perfect
love, when concealed and disregarded, may bring folks to the grave?
There is not one among you but knows the kinsfolk on the one and the
other side, (2) and so you cannot doubt the story, although nobody
would be disposed to believe it unless he had some experience in the
matter."
2 This certainly points to the conclusion that the tale is founded upon
fact, and not, as M. Leroux de Lincy suggests, borrowed from the story
of Geffroy Rudel de Blaye. It will have been observed (ante) that the
Queen of Navarre curiously enough lays the scene of her narrative
between Provence and Dauphiné. These two provinces bordered upon
one another, excepting upon one point where they were separated by
the so-called Comtat Venaissin or Papal state of Avignon. Here,
therefore, the incidents of the story, if authentic, would probably have
occurred. The story may be compared with Tale L. (post).--Ed.
When the ladies heard this they all had tears in their eyes, but Hircan
said to them--
"He was the greatest fool I ever heard of. By your faith, now, I ask you,
is it reasonable that we should die for women who are made only for us,
or that we should be afraid to ask them for what God has commanded
them to give us? I do not speak for myself nor for any who are married.
I myself have all that I want or more; but I say it for such men as are in
need. To my thinking, they must be fools to fear those whom they
should rather make afraid. Do you not perceive how greatly this poor
damsel regretted her folly? Since she embraced the gentleman's dead
body--an action repugnant to human nature--she would not have
refused him while he was alive had he then trusted as much to boldness
as he trusted to pity when he lay upon his death-bed."
"Nevertheless," said Oisille, "the gentleman most plainly showed that
he bore her an honourable love, and for this he will ever be worthy of
all praise. Chastity in a lover's heart is something divine rather than
human."

"Madam," said Saffredent, "in support of