“My Lords, I have said that which love’s sacred phrensy dictated to me at the moment; now that it seems to inspire me no further, I should not know what to say: and I think love is not willing that its secrets should be further disclosed, or that the Courtier should pass beyond that stage which it has been pleased to have me show him; and therefore perhaps it is not permitted to speak more of this matter.”
72.—“Verily,” said my lady Duchess, “if the unyouthful Courtier should prove able to follow the path that you have shown him, he ought in all reason to content himself with such great felicity, and to have no envy of the youthful Courtier.”
Then messer Cesare Gonzaga said:
“The road which leads to this felicity seems to me so steep that I believe it is very hard to travel.”
My lord Gaspar added:
“I believe it is hard for men to travel, but impossible for women.”
My lady Emilia laughed, and said:
“My lord Gaspar, if you return to wronging us so often, I promise you that you will not be pardoned again.”
My lord Gaspar replied:
“No wrong is done you by saying that women’s souls are not so purged of passion as those of men, nor given to contemplation, as messer Pietro said those must be who would taste divine love. Thus we do not read that any woman has had this grace, but that many men have had it, like Plato, Socrates and Plotinus,[[481]] and many others; and so many of our holy Fathers, like St. Francis, upon whom an ardent spirit of love impressed the most holy seal of the five wounds:[[482]] nor could aught but the power of love lift St. Paul to the vision of those mysteries whereof man is not allowed to speak;[[483]] nor show St. Stephen the opened heavens.”[[484]]