The tongue will trip and cause one word to be used for another, even
by the discreetest and most excellent speakers. But when you men talk
viciously, not from ignorance, but by reason of your own wickedness,
I know of no virtuous woman who does not feel a loathing for such
speakers, and who would not merely refuse to hearken to them, but even
to remain in their company."
"That is very true," responded Geburon. "I have frequently seen women
make the sign of the cross on hearing certain words spoken, and cease
not in doing so after these words had been uttered a second time."
"But how many times," said Simontault, "have they put on their masks (6)
in order to laugh as freely as they pretended to be angry?"
"Yet it were better to do this," said Parlamente, "than to let it be
seen that the talk pleased them."
"Then," said Dagoucin, "you praise a lady's hypocrisy no less than her
virtue?"
"Virtue would be far better," said Longarine, "but, when it is lacking,
recourse must be had to hypocrisy, just as we use our slippers (7) to
disguise our littleness. And it is no small matter to be able to conceal
our imperfections."
8 _Tourets-de-nez_.
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