"
When the King came again to the house, he observed these lines newly
written, and inquired their meaning of the gentleman, who said--
"If the King's secret be hidden from the subject, it is not fitting that
the subject's secret should be revealed to the King. Be content with
knowing that those who wear horns do not always have their caps raised
from their heads. Some horns are so soft that they never uncap one, and
especially are they light to him who thinks he has them not."
The King perceived by these words that the gentleman knew something of
his own behaviour, but he never had any suspicion of the love between
him and the Queen; for the more pleased the latter was with the life led
by her husband, the more did she feign to be distressed by it. And so on
either side they lived in this love, until at last old age took them in
hand.
"Here, ladies, is a story by which you may be guided, for, as I
willingly confess, it shows you that when your husbands give you bucks'
horns you can give them stags' horns in return.
Pages:
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238