He gasped with the strength of her thrust, and she said:
'Greedy dogs getten them hard cuffs,' and rearranged her neckercher. When he tried to come nearer her she laughed and thrust him aback.
'You have tried and tasted,' she said. 'A fuller meal you must pay for.'
He stood before her, lean and lank, his gown flapping about his calves, his eyes smiling humorously, his lips twitching.
'Oh soft and warm woman,' he cried, 'payment shall be yours'; and whilst he fumbled furiously in his clothes-press, he quoted from Tully: 'Haec civitas mulieri redimiculum praebuit.' He pulled out one small bag: 'Haec in collum.' She took another. 'Haec in crines!' and he added a third, saying: 'Here is all I have,' and cast the three into her lap. Whilst she counted the coins composedly on the table before her he added: 'Leave me nevertheless the price to come to England with.'
'Sir Magister,' she said, turning her large face to him. 'This is not one-tenth enough. You have tasted an ensample. Will you have the whole meal?'
'Oh, unconscionable,' he cried. 'More I have not!' He began to wave his hands. 'Consider what you do do,' he uttered. 'Think of what a pest is love. How many have died of it. Pyramus, Thisbe, Dido, Medea, Croesus, Callirhoe, Theagines the philosopher ... Consider what writes Gordonius: "Prognosticatio est talis: si non succuratur iis aut in maniam cadunt: aut moriuntur." Unless lovers be succoured either they fall into a madness, either they die or grow mad. And Fabian Montaltus: "If this passion be not assuaged, the inflammation cometh to the brain. It drieth up the blood. Then followeth madness or men make themselves away." I would have you ponder of what saith Parthenium and what Plutarch in his tales of lovers.'
Her face appeared comely and smooth in his eyes, but she shook her head at him.
'These be woeful and pretty stories,' she said. 'I would have you to tell me many of them.'
'All through the night,' he said eagerly, and made to clasp her in his arms. But she pushed him back again with her hand on his chest.