one　was　satisfied　with　this　story；　of　which　his　mouth　was　so　full　that
  he　told　it　to　his　fellows。
  The　good　people　believe　that　it　was　the　malady　which　was　fraught　with
  danger；　but　it　was　not！　it　was　the　convalescence；　for　the　stronger
  Jehan　grew；　the　weaker　Bertha　became；　and　so　weak　that　she　allowed
  herself　to　drift　into　that　Paradise　the　gates　of　which　Jehan　had
  opened　for　her。　To　be　brief；　she　loved　him　more　and　more。　But　in　the
  midst　of　her　happiness；　always　mingled　with　apprehension　at　the
  menacing　words　of　Fallotte；　and　tormented　by　her　great　religion；　she
  was　in　great　fear　of　her　husband；　Imbert；　to　whom　she　was　compelled　to
  write　that　he　had　given　her　a　child；　who　would　be　ready　to　delight　him
  on　his　return。　Poor　Bertha　avoided　her　lover；　Jehan；　during　the　day　on
  which　she　wrote　the　lying　letter；　over　which　she　soaked　her
  handkerchief　with　tears。　Finding　himself　avoided　（for　they　had
  previously　left　each　other　no　more　than　fire　leaves　the　wood　it　has
  bitten）　Jehan　believed　that　she　was　beginning　to　hate　him；　and
  straightway　he　cried　too。　In　the　evening　Bertha；　touched　by　his　tears；
  which　had　left　their　mark　upon　his　eyes；　although　he　had　well　dried
  them；　told　him　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　mingling　therewith　her
  confessions　of　her　terrors　for　the　future；　pointing　out　to　him　how
  much　they　were　both　to　blame；　and　discoursing　so　beautifully　to　him；
  gave　utterance　to　such　Christian　sentences；　ornamented　with　holy　tears
  and　contrite　prayers；　that　Jehan　was　touched　to　the　quick　by　the
  sincerity　of　his　mistress。　This　love　innocently　united　to　repentance；
  this　nobility　in　sin；　this　mixture　of　weakness　and　strength；　would；　as
  the　old　authors　say；　have　changed　the　nature　of　a　tiger；　melting　it　to
  pity。　You　will　not　be　astonished　then；　that　Jehan　was　compelled　to
  pledge　his　word　as　a　knight…bachelor；　to　obey　her　in　what　ever　she
  should　command　him；　to　save　her　in　this　world　and　in　the　next。
  Delighted　at　this　confidence　in　her；　and　this　goodness　of　heart；
  Bertha　cast　herself　at　Jehan's　feet；　and　kissing　them；　exclaimed
  〃Oh！　my　love；　whom　I　am　compelled　to　love；　although　it　is　a　mortal　sin
  to　do　so；　thou　who　art　so　good；　so　gentle　to　thy　poor　Bertha；　if　thou
  wouldst　have　her　always　think　of　thee　with　pleasure；　and　stop　the
  torrent　of　her　tears；　whose　source　is　so　pretty　and　so　pleasant　（here；
  to　show　him　that　it　was　so；　she　let　him　steal　a　kiss）Jehan；　if　thou
  wouldst　that　the　memory　of　our　celestial　joys；　angel　music；　and　the
  fragrance　of　love　should　be　a　consolation　to　me　in　my　loneliness
  rather　than　a　torment；　do　that　which　the　Virgin　commanded　me　to　order
  thee　in　a　dream；　in　which　I　was　beseeching　her　to　direct　me　in　the
  present　case；　for　I　had　asked　her　to　come　to　me；　and　she　had　come。
  Then　I　told　her　the　horrible　anguish　I　should　endure；　trembling　for
  this　little　one；　whose　movements　I　already　feel；　and　for　the　real
  father；　who　would　be　at　the　mercy　of　the　other；　and　might　expiate　his
  paternity　by　a　violent　death；　since　it　is　possible　that　La　Fallotte
  saw　clearly　into　his　future　life。　Then　the　beautiful　Virgin　told　me；
  smiling；　that　the　Church　offered　its　forgiveness　for　our　faults　if　we
  followed　her　commandments；　that　it　was　necessary　to　save　one's　self
  from　the　pains　of　hell；　by　reforming　before　Heaven　became　angry。　Then
  with　her　finger　she　showed　me　a　Jehan　like　thee；　but　dressed　as　thou
  shouldst　be；　and　as　thou　wilt　be；　if　thou　does　but　love　thy　Bertha
  with　a　love　eternal。〃
  Jehan　assured　her　of　his　perfect　obedience；　and　raised　her；　seating
  her　on　his　knee；　and　kissing　her。　The　unhappy　Bertha　told　him　then
  that　this　garment　was　a　monk's　frock；　and　trembling　besought　him
  almost　fearing　a　refusalto　enter　the　Church；　and　retire　to
  Marmoustier；　beyond　Tours；　pledging　him　her　word　that　she　would　grant
  him　a　last　night；　after　which　she　would　be　neither　for　him　nor　for
  anyone　else　in　the　world　again。　And　each　year；　as　a　reward　for　this；
  she　would　let　him　come　to　her　one　day；　in　order　that　he　might　see　the
  child。　Jehan；　bound　by　his　oath；　promised　to　obey　his　mistress；　saying
  that　by　this　means　he　would　be　faithful　to　her；　and　would　experience
  no　joys　of　love　but　those　tasted　in　her　divine　embrace；　and　would　live
  upon　the　dear　remembrance　of　them。　Hearing　these　sweet　words；　Bertha
  declared　to　him　that；　however　great　might　have　been　her　sin；　and
  whatever　God　reserved　for　her；　this　happiness　would　enable　her　to
  support　it；　since　she　believed　she　had　not　fallen　through　a　man；　but
  through　an　angel。
  Then　they　returned　to　the　nest　which　contained　their　love　but　only　to
  bid　a　final　adieu　to　all　their　lovely　flowers。　There　can　be　but　little
  doubt　that　Seigneur　Cupid　had　something　to　do　with　this　festival；　for
  no　woman　ever　experienced　such　joy　in　any　part　of　the　world　before；
  and　no　man　ever　took　as　much。　The　especial　property　of　true　love　is　a
  certain　harmony；　which　brings　it　about　that　the　more　one　gives；　the
  more　the　other　receives；　and　vice…versa；　as　in　certain　cases　in
  mathematics；　where　things　are　multiplied　by　themselves　without　end。
  This　problem　can　only　be　explained　to　unscientific　people；　by　asking
  them　to　look　into　their　Venetian　glasses；　in　which　are　to　be　seen
  thousands　of　faces　produced　by　one　alone。　Thus；　in　the　heart　of　two
  lovers；　the　roses　of　pleasure　multiply　within　them　in　a　manner　which
  causes　them　to　be　astonished　that　so　much　joy　can　be　contained；
  without　anything　bursting。　Bertha　and　Jehan　would　have　wished　in　this
  night　to　have　finished　their　days；　and　thought；　from　the　excessive
  languor　which　flowed　in　their　veins；　that　love　had　resolved　to　bear
  them　away　on　his　wings　with　the　kiss　of　death；　but　they　held　out　in
  spite　of　these　numerous　multiplications。
  On　the　morrow；　as　the　return　of　Monsieur　Imbert　de　Bastarnay　was　close
  at　hand；　the　lady　Sylvia　was　compelled　to　depart。　The　poor　girl　left
  her　cousin；　covering　her　with　tears　and　with　kisses；　it　was　always　her
  last；　but　the　last　lasted　till　evening。　Then　he　was　compelled　to　leave
  her；　and　he　did　leave　her　although　the　blood　of　his　heart　congealed；
  like　the　fallen　wax　of　a　Paschal　candle。　According　to　his　promise；　he
  wended　his　way　towards　Marmoustier；　which　he　entered　towards　the
  eleventh　hour　of　the　day；　and　was　placed　among　the　novices。
  Monseigneur　de　Bastarnay　was　informed　that　Sylvia　had　returned　to　the
  Lord　which　is　the　signification　of　le　Seigneur　in　the　English
  language；　and　therefore　in　this　Bertha　did　not　lie。
  The　joy　of　her　husband；　when　he　saw　Bertha　without　her　waistbandshe
  could　not　wear　it；　so　much　had　she　increased　in　sizecommenced　the
  martyrdom　of　this　poor　woman；　who　did　not　know　how　to　deceive；　and
  who；　at　each　false　word；　went　to　her　Prie…Dieu；　wept　her　blood　away
  from　her　eyes　in　tears；　burst　into　prayers；　and　recommended　herself　to
  the　graces　of　Messieurs　the　Saints　in　paradise。　It　happened　that　she
  cried　so　loudly　to　God　that　He　heard　her；　because　He　hears　everything；
  He　hears　the　stones　that　roll　beneath　the　waters；　the　poor　who　groan；
  and　the　flies　who　wing　their　way　through　the　air。　It　is　well　that　you
  should　know　this；　otherwise　you　would　not　believe　in　what　happened。
  God　commanded　the　archangel　Michael　to　make　for　this　penitent　a　hell
  upon　earth；　so　that　she　might　enter　without　dispute　into　Paradise。
  Then　St。　Michael　descended　from　the　skies　as　far　as　the　gate　of　hell；
  and　handed　over　this　triple　soul　to　the　devil；　telling　him　that　he　had
  permission　to　torment　it　during　the　rest　of　her　days；　at　the　same　time
  indicating　to　him　Bertha；　Jehan　and　the　child。
  The　devil；　who　by　the　will　of　God；　is　lord　of　all　evil；　told　the
  archangel　that　he　would　obey　the　message。　During　this　heavenly
  arrangement　life　went　on　as　usual　here　below。　The　sweet　lady　of
  Bastarnay　gave　the　most　beautiful　child　in　the　world　to　the　Sire
  Imbert；　a　boy　all　lilies　and　roses；　of　great　intelligence；　like　a
  little　Jesus；　merry　and　arch　as　a　pagan　love。　He　became　more　beautiful
  day　by　day；　while　the　elder　was　turning　into　an　ape；　like　his　father；
  whom　he　painfully　resembled。　The　younger　boy　was　as　bright　as　a　star；
  and　resembled　his　father　and　mother；　whose　corporeal　and　spiritual
  perfections　had　produced　a　compound　of　illustrious　graces　and
  marvellous　intelligence。　Seeing　this　perpetual　miracle　of　body　and
  mind　blended　with　the　essential　conditions；　Bastarnay　declared　that
  for　his　eternal　salvation　he　would　like　to　make　the　younger　the　elder；
  and　that　he　would　do　with　the　king's　protection。　Bertha　did　not　know
  what　to　do；　for　she　adored　the　child　of　Jehan；　and　could　only　feel　a
  feeble　affection　for　the　other；　whom；　nevertheless　she　protected
  against　the　evil　intentions　of　the　old　fellow；　Bastarnay。
  Bertha；　satisfied　with　the　way　things　were　going；　quieted　her
  conscience　with　falsehood；　and　thought　that　all　danger　was　past；　since
  twelve　years　had　elapsed　with　no　other　alloy　than　the　doubt　which　at
  times　embittered　her　joy。　Each　year；　according　to　her　pledged　faith