Read The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV. (of V.) Page 14
PROLOGUE.
When morning was come, the Lady Oisille made ready for them a spiritualbreakfast of such excellent flavour that it sufficed to strengthen bothbody and mind. The whole company was very attentive to it; it seemed tothem that they had never harkened to a sermon with such profit before.Then, when the last bell rang for mass, they went to meditate upon thepious discourse which they had heard.
After listening to mass, and walking for a little while, they went totable feeling assured that the present day would prove as agreeableas any of the past. Saffredent even said that he would gladly have thebridge building for another month, so great was the pleasure that hetook in their entertainment; but the Abbot was pressing the work withall speed, for it was no pleasure to him to live in the company of somany honourable persons, among whom he could not bring his wonted femalepilgrims.
Having rested for a time after dinner, they returned to their accustomeddiversion. When all were seated in the meadow, they asked Parlamente towhom she gave her vote.
"I think," she replied, "that Saffredent might well begin this day, forhis face does not look as though he wished us to weep."
"Then, ladies, you will needs be very hard-hearted," said Saffredent,"if you take no pity on the Grey Friar whose story I am going to relateto you. You may perhaps think, from the tales that some among us havealready told of the monks, that misadventures have befallen haplessdamsels simply because ease of execution induced the attempt to befearlessly begun, but, so that you may know that it is the blindness ofwanton lust which deprives the friars of all fear and prudence, I willtell you of what happened to one of them in Flanders."