She
returned them the answer that was due; but they, being neither fatigued
by their journeying, nor cooled by the water, nor put to shame by her
refusal, determined to take her by force, and, if she clamoured, to
throw her into the river. She, however, was as virtuous and clever as
they were gross and wicked, and said to them--
"I am not so ill-disposed as I seem to be, but I pray you grant me two
requests. You shall then see that I am more ready to give than you are
to ask."
The friars swore to her by their good St. Francis that she could ask
nothing that they would not grant in order to have what they desired of
her.
"First of all," she said, "I require you both to promise on oath that
you will inform no man living of this matter." This they promised right
willingly.
"Then," she continued, "I would have you take your pleasure with me one
after the other, for it would be too great a shame for me to have to do
with one in presence of the other. Consider which of you will have me
first."
They deemed her request a very reasonable one, and the younger friar
yielded the first place to the elder.
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