NOVEL V.
The Marchioness of Monferrat, by a repast consisting of hens, and a witty reply, cures the King of France of his dishonourable love.
DIONEO's story at first put all the ladies to the blush; but looking at each other as he went on, they could hardly keep from bursting out laughing. They refrained, however, and when he had done, they intimated to him, with a gentle reprimand, that such tales should not be told in the presence of ladies. The queen then nodded to Fiametta, who sat next, to take her turn, which she did most cheerfully as follows:
- It is no little joy to me, to find the force of smart and witty replies so well set forth in what has already passed among us. Now, as it is accounted a mark of good sense in men, to aim at ladies of superior quality to themselves; so it is no less a token of the greatest discretion in women, to take care never to be surprised in love by men of higher degree. For which reason I shall now relate, how a woman by her wit and address may ward off an attack of that kind, when there is a design upon her honour.
The Marquis of Monferrat was a person of great valour, and being standard-bearer to the church, had gone abroad in a general crusade of the Christian princes against the Turks. One day, as they were discoursing of his prowess at the court of Philip, surnamed the Short-sighted, who was preparing in France for the like expedition, a courtier said, in the king's presence, that the whole world had not so accomplished a pair as the marquis and his lady; for as much as he excelled other cavaliers in valour, so much was she superior to the rest of her sex in worth and beauty. These words so affected the king, that, from that very moment, though he had never seen her, he began to be passionately in love. He resolved to go by land as far as Genoa, that he might have an honourable pretence for paying her a visit, thinking that, as the marquis was absent, he could not fail of accomplishing his desires. With this design, having sent the greatest part of his company before him, he set forward with a small retinue, and being come within a day's journey of the lady's abode, he sent her word, that on the morrow she might expect his company at dinner. The lady very cheerfully replied, that she should esteem it a singular favour, and would make him heartily welcome. For a long while she could not conceive why so great a prince should come to see her, when her husband was from home; but supposing at last that the fame of her beauty must have drawn him thither, she resolved nevertheless, as she was of a noble spirit, to show him due respect: for which purpose she summoned the principal gentry, who were left in the country, to consult them about what was necessary for his reception, reserving the entire management of the feast to herself. Then, buying up all the hens that were in the country, she ordered the cooks to get nothing else for his majesty's dinner, but to dress them in as many different ways as possible.
Next day the king came, and was received by the lady with great joy, and had all due honor paid him; and finding her exceed even what had been said before in her favor, he was greatly astonished. He then retired awhile into the apartments, which had been provided for him, to repose himself; and when dinner was ready, his majesty and the lady sat down at one table, and their attendants at other tables, all placed according to their respective qualities. Here the king was served with dishes one after another, and with the most costly wines, feasting his eyes yet more with the sight of the lady; and highly delighted he was with his entertainment. But observing at last that all the different courses, however dressed up and variously cooked, were nothing but hens, he began to wonder much, for he knew that the country about was well stored with venison and wild fowl, and he had signified his intention time enough for them to have provided both. Turning, therefore, a merry countenance to the lady, "Madam," he said, "are hens only bred in this country, and no cocks?" The lady, who well understood the meaning of his question, now thinking that she had a fit opportunity of letting him know her sentiments, boldly answered: "Not so, my lord; but women, however they may differ in dress and titles, are the same here as in other places.” The king hearing this, immediately found out the meaning of the entertainment; as also what virtue lay couched under her answer. And being sensible that words would be spent in vain on such a lady, and force he could not use, he therefore judged it more becoming his honour to stifle his ill-conceived passion; and so, without more words (as being afraid of the lady's replies), when dinner was over, that he might shadow his dishonourable coming by a hasty departure, he thanked her for the honour he had received, took his leave, and posted away to Genoa.
