The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. IV | Page 3

a monastery of Grey Friars that was held in high repute, and nigh to it
stood the house of a gentleman who was so kindly disposed to these
monks that he could withhold nothing from them, in order to share in
the benefits of their fastings and disciplines. Among the rest there was
a tall and handsome friar whom the said gentleman had taken to be his
confessor, and who had as much authority in the gentleman's house as
the gentleman himself. This friar, seeing that the gentleman's wife was
as beautiful and prudent as it was possible to be, fell so deeply in love
with her that he lost all appetite for both food and drink, and all natural
reason as well. One day, thinking to work his end, he went all alone to
the house, and not finding the gentleman within, asked the lady whither
he was gone. She replied that he was gone to an estate where he
proposed remaining during two or three days, but that if the friar had

business with him, she would despatch a man expressly to him. The
friar said no to this, and began to walk to and fro in the house like one
with a weighty matter in his mind.
1 Maximilian I., grandfather of Charles V. and Ferdinand I., and
Emperor of Germany from 1494 to 1519.--Ed.
When he had left the room, the lady said to one of her women (and
there were but two) "Go after the good father and find out what he
wants, for I judge by his countenance that he is displeased."
The serving-woman went to the courtyard and asked the friar whether
he desired aught, whereat he answered that he did, and, drawing her
into a corner, he took a dagger which he carried in his sleeve, and thrust
it into her throat. Just after he had done this, there came into the
courtyard a mounted servant who had been gone to receive the rent of a
farm. As soon as he had dismounted he saluted the friar, who embraced
him, and while doing so thrust the dagger into the back part of his neck.
And thereupon he closed the castle gate.
The lady, finding that her serving-woman did not return, was
astonished that she should remain so long with the friar, and said to the
other--
"Go and see why your fellow-servant does not come back."
The woman went, and as soon as the good father saw her, he drew her
aside into a corner and did to her as he had done to her companion.
Then, finding himself alone in the house, he came to the lady, and told
her that he had long been in love with her, and that the hour was now
come when she must yield him obedience.
The lady, who had never suspected aught of this, replied--
"I am sure, father, that were I so evilly inclined, you would be the first
to cast a stone at me."
"Come out into the courtyard," returned the monk, "and you will see

what I have done."
When she beheld the two women and the man lying dead, she was so
terrified that she stood like a statue, without uttering a word. The villain,
who did not seek merely an hour's delight, would not take her by force,
but forthwith said to her--
"Mistress, be not afraid; you are in the hands of him who, of all living
men, loves you the most."
So saying, he took off his long robe, beneath which he wore a shorter
one, which he gave to the lady, telling her that if she did not take it, she
should be numbered with those whom she saw lying lifeless before her
eyes.
More dead than alive already, the lady resolved to feign obedience,
both to save her life, and to gain time, as she hoped, for her husband's
return. At the command of the friar, she set herself to put off her
head-dress as slowly as she was able; and when this was done, the friar,
heedless of the beauty of her hair, quickly cut it off. Then he caused her
to take off all her clothes except her chemise, and dressed her in the
smaller robe he had worn, he himself resuming the other, which he was
wont to wear; then he departed thence with all imaginable speed, taking
with him the little friar he had coveted so long.
But God, who pities the innocent in affliction, beheld the tears of this
unhappy lady, and it so happened that her husband, having arranged
matters more speedily than he had expected, was now returning home
by the same road by which she herself was departing. However, when
the friar perceived him in the distance, he said