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So he saluted her and talked with her and sat tailoring awhile,

after which the handmaid came to him and said, "My mistress

greeteth thee and informeth thee that her husband purposeth to

lie abroad this night in the house of some intimate friends of

his; so, when he is gone, do thou come to us and spend the night

with my lady in delightsomest joyance till the morning." Now her

husband had asked her, "How shall we manage to turn him away from

thee?"; and she answered, "Leave me to play him another trick and

make him a laughing stock for all the town." But my brother knew

naught of the malice of women.