Page:The Way of a Virgin.djvu/205

Rh, and for this reason many persons—even people of condition—were willing to give him their daughter in marriage.

One of these damsels, above all others, pleased the friends and relations of our Champenois because of her beauty, goodness, riches and so forth. They told him 'twas time he married.

"Thou art now three-and-twenty years of age," said they, "and there could not be a better time. And thou wilt listen to us, we have sought out for thee a fair good damsel who seemeth to us well fitted to thee. It is such an one thou knowest her full well." And they told him her name.

The young man, who cared little whether he was married or not, so as he did not lose money by it, answered that he would do whatsoe'er they wished.

"Since ye think 'twill be to my advantage," said he, "mana'ge the business to the best of your ability, for I would follow your advice and instructions."

"Thou sayest well," said these good folk. "We will look and consider as carefully as though the matter concerned us or one of our children."

To cut matters short, a litile while afterwards our Champenois was married; but on the first night, when he was sleeping with his wife, he, never having mounted on any Christian beast, soon turned his back to her, and a few poor kisses was aught she had of him, but naught on her back. At which one may guess his wife was not well pleased, albeit she concealed her discontent.

This unsatisfactory state of affairs endured some ten days, and would have endured yet longer had not the girl's mother put a stop to it.