He admonished her so kindly, that she took courage, so that it seemed to her that the remaining fifteen days would hardly be noticed.
The twentieth came, and the poor simpleton had lost all colour and seemed half dead, and felt no more desires of concupiscence than if she had been really dead. She was obliged to take to her bed and continually remain there, and then, it occurred to her mind that the clerk had caused her to fast to punish her carnal appet.i.tes, and she came to the conclusion that his methods were ingenious and effective, and would not have been thought of by a less clever and good man.
Nevertheless, she was not less resolved to go on to the ead, and thoroughly fulfil her promise.
On the last day but one of the fast, she sent for the clerk, who, when he saw her in bed asked her if she had lost courage now that there was only one day more to run?
But she, interrupting him, replied;
"Ah, my good friend, you loved me with a true and perfect love, and not dishonourably, as I dared to love you. Therefore I shall esteem you, as long as G.o.d gives life to me and to you, as my dearest and best friend, who protected, and taught me to protect, my chast.i.ty, and the honour and good name, of me, my husband, my relatives, and my friends. Blessed also be my dear husband, whose advice and counsels I have kept, to the great solace of my heart. But for you, my friend, I render you such thanks as I may, for your honourable conduct and your great kindness to me, for which I can never sufficiently requite you, nor can my friends."
The good and wise clerk, seeing that he had achieved his object, took leave of the fair damsel, and gently admonished her and advised her that she should in future correct her body by abstinence and fasting whenever she felt any p.r.i.c.kings of l.u.s.t. By which means she lived chastely until the return of her husband, who knew nothing of the matter, for she concealed it from him--and so also did the clerk.
THE END.