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To such harangues, delivered with a pretty air of et out of hand, Isoult

listened as she had listened to the cheerful prophetics of the Abbess

of Gracedieu, with her gentle sether while she and Isoult sat weaving a

tapestry For the philosopher which it seemed she was, the subject of

the piece was very pleasant It was the story of Troilus and

Cresseide, no less, wherein Sir Pandarus, (departing from the custom)

was represented a young le of lovers like children Diomede was an apple-cheeked school-

boy, Troilus had a tunic and bare legs, Cresseide in her spare moments

dandled a doll Calchas, for his part, kept a dame-school in this

piece, which for the rest was treated with a singular freedoirl, was occasionally troubled at her part of the work; but the

philosopher laughed heartily at her

"What ails thee with the piece, child?" she would cry out in her

hearty way "Dost thou think lovers are men and women, to be taken

seriously? It is to be hoped they are not, forsooth! For if they are

not innocent, what shall be said of their antics?" andto treat her with freedom, Maulfry kept in reality a

steady rein

"Go out?" she would cry in irl--"why under the sun should we go out? To see a

thicket of twigs and breathe rotten vapours? Or do you think we have

processions passing in and out of the tree-trunks? Ah,for! Nay, nay, never look big