2 Epilogue of Tale xxxvii.

3 Epilogue of Tale xlvi.

In reference to this subject of conjugal fidelity a curious story is
told of Margaret. One day at Mont-de-Marsan, upon seeing a young man
convicted of having murdered his father being led to execution, she
remarked to those about her that it was very wrong to put to death a
young fellow who had not committed the crime imputed to him. It
was pointed out to her that the judges had only condemned him upon
conclusive proofs and the acknowledgments that he himself had made.
Margaret, however, persisted in her remark, whereupon some of her
intimates begged of her to justify it, for it seemed to them at least
singular. "I do not doubt," she replied, "that this poor wretch killed
his mother's husband, but he certainly did not kill his own father." (1)

Besides being unfortunate as regards her husbands, Margaret was also
denied a mother's privileges. She experienced great suffering at her
confinements, (2) and on two occasions she was delivered of still-born
infants of the female sex.

1 Gabriel de Minut's _De la Beauté, Discours divers, &c._,
Lyons, 1587. p. 74.

2 _Nouvelles Lettres de Marguerite_, pp. 84 and 93.

She had centred many hopes upon her little boy, John, of whom she was
confined without accident, but he died, as already stated, in infancy,
and this misfortune was a great shock to her, though she tried to