“On me?” she asked.
“Yes, certainly; on you,” he said. “I know very well I thrashed you soundly, as the sheets of the bed would show.”
“By my oath, dear friend,” she replied, “I do not know what you did or dreamed, but for my part I recollect very well that this morning you indulged in the sports of love with much desire; I am sure that if you dreamed you did anything else to me it must be like yesterday, when you made sure you had given me the lamprey.”
“That would be a strange dream,” said he. “Show yourself that I may see you.”
She turned down the bed-clothes and showed herself quite naked, and without mark or wound. He saw also that the sheets were fair and white, and without any stain. It need not be said that he was much astonished, and he thought the matter over for a long time, and was silent. At last he said;
“By my oath, my dear, I imagined that I gave you a good beating this morning, even till you bled—but I see well I did nothing of the kind, and I do not know exactly what did happen.”
“Marry!” she said “Get the idea that you have beaten me out of your head, for you never touched me, as you can see. Make up your mind that you dreamed it.”
“I am sure you are right,” said he, “and I beg of you to pardon me, for I did wrong to abuse you before all the strangers I brought to the house.”
“That is easily pardoned,” she replied; “but at any rate take care that you are not so rash and hasty another time.”
“No, I will not be, my dear!” said he.