In the meantime, the careful uxorious Monsieur Bernard was rejoicing at his wife's recovery, and saying a thousand things to her; in the midst of his fondling, he flung himself on the bed by her, and putting his hand back to take her in his arms ran his arms into the breeches. Surprised at the greasy trowsers, the known appurtenance of the priest, he fell into a worse fit than that his wife would have made him believe she had been in. He stormed, he swore, he raved. Amid this distraction, Agatha, with a ready wit, and an innocent face, the peculiar attributes of a woman, replied, without the least hesitation, that it was those breeches which had saved her life (if she had said their contents, she would have been nearer the mark): it is to them, says she, that I owe my cure.

O thou miraculous vestment of the divine Thomas a Becket, which has shed a pleasing influence on thy adorer, still may thou be the aid of weak woman! These, adds she, the holy father left with me to strengthen me and prevent the return of my fit; in the evening he is to come for them.

The readiness of this excuse, and the well feigned religion of his wife, either deluded honest Monsieur Bernard; or else, not knowing how to act, he seemed to believe her, and so it passed off. Agatha's confidant, in the evening, was sent to tell father Girard her mistress was entirely recovered, and therefore he should come to fetch away his sacred relics: she added to this commission, and acquainted her mistress's confessor of all that had passed. Father Girard knew not how to act, but, pressed by the necessity of the thing, he went to the warden of the convent, the person who presided over them, and was to punish their irregularity of manners, and acquainted him with the whole affair. The warden reproved him for his negligence; for, says he, fi non cafte, tamen caute; if not chastely, yet cautiously, is the maxim of our convent; however, some expedient must be found out to save the reputation of the order. After some pauses, he ordered the chapel bell to ring, and convened all the brothers of the convent.