THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COURTIER shall put a fresh champion in the field to fight you, to the end that your offence may not go long unpunished." So, turning to the Magnifico Giuliano, who had thus far spoken little, she said: " You are accounted the defender of women's honour; where- fore the time has come for you to show that you have not ac- quired this title falsely. And if hitherto you have ever found profit in your office, you ought now to consider that by putting down so bitter an enemy of ours, you will render all women still more beholden to you, so much so that although nothing else be ever done but requite you, yet the obligation must always stand and can never fully be requited." 98.— Then the Magnifico Giuliano replied: " My Lady, methinks you do your enemy much honour, and your defender very little; for so far my lord Gaspar has certainly said nothing against women that messer Bernardo has not most consummately answered. And I believe we all know that it is fitting for the Courtier to show women the greatest reverence, and that he who is discreet and courteous must never taunt them with lack of chastity, either in jest or in earnest. There- fore, to discuss such obvious truth as this, is almost to cast doubt upon that which is undoubted. But indeed I think my lord Ottaviano went rather too far when he said that women are very imperfect creatures, incapable of any worthy action, and possessed of little or no dignity in comparison with men. And as trust is often placed in those who have great authority, even when they say what is not the exact truth and also when they speak in jest, — rhy lord Gaspar suffered himself to be led by my lord Ottaviano's words to say that wise men make no account of women whatever, which is most false. On the contrary, I have known very few men of merit who did not love and hon- our women, — whose worth (and so whose dignity) I regard as in no wise inferior to men's. " Yet if this were to be the subject of dispute, women's cause would be at serious disadvantage; because these gentlemen have described a Courtier so excellent and of such heavenly accomplishments, that whoso undertook to consider him as they have pictured him, would imagine that women's merits could 168
