"Tis all one," said Longarine: "so long as they do not draw their
swords, their anger will only serve to increase our laughter."

"A pretty business indeed!" said Hircan. "Why, if our wives chose to
believe this lady, she would embroil the seemliest household in the
company."

"I am well aware before whom I speak," said Longarine. "Your wives are
so sensible and bear you so much love, that if you were to give them
horns as big as those of a deer, they would nevertheless try to persuade
themselves and every one else that they were chaplets of roses."

At this the company, and even those concerned, laughed so heartily that
their talk came to an end. However, Dagoucin, who had not yet uttered a
word, could not help saying--

"Men are very unreasonable when, having enough to content themselves
with at home, they go in search of something else. I have often seen
people who, not content with sufficiency, have aimed at bettering
themselves, and have fallen into a worse position than they were in
before. Such persons receive no pity, for fickleness is always blamed."

"But what say you to those who have not found their other half?" asked
Simontault. "Do you call it fickleness to seek it wherever it may be
found?"

"Since it is impossible," said Dagoucin, "for a man to know the
whereabouts of that other half with whom there would be such perfect
union that one would not differ from the other, he should remain
steadfast wherever love has attached him. And whatsoever may happen, he