opposite her husband's, so that they could neither of them put out their
heads without seeing each other.

1 We are unable to trace any family named Thogas, which is
probably a fictitious appellation. Read backwards with the
letter h omitted it forms Sagot, whilst if the syllables be
transposed it suggests Guasto, a well-known Basque or
Navarrese name.--Ed.

This lady had two serving-women, and often when the lord and his lady
were in bed, they would each take some diverting book to read, whilst
the serving-women held candles, the younger, that is, for the gentleman,
and the other for his wife.

The gentleman, finding that the maid was younger and handsomer than her
mistress, took such great pleasure in observing her that he would break
off his reading in order to converse with her. His wife could hear this
very plainly, but believing that her husband loved none but herself, she
was well pleased that her servants should amuse him.

It happened one evening, however, when they had read longer than was
their wont, that the lady looked towards her husband's bed where was the
young serving-maid holding the candle. Of her she could see nothing but
her back, and of her husband nothing at all excepting on the side of
the chimney, which jutted out in front of his bed, and the white wall of
which was bright with the light from the candle. And upon this wall
she could plainly see the shadows both of her husband and of her maid;
whether they drew apart, or came near together or laughed, it was all as
clear to her as though she had veritably beheld them.