A FEW days later Nisus, Euryalus’ true companion, eager to forward his friend’s cause, explored a tavern which stood behind Menelaus’ house overlooking the back of Lucretia’s apartments. He made friends with the innkeeper and, when he had examined the whole place, brought Euryalus and said to him:

‘Here you can talk with Lucretia from her window.’

Now, half-way between the two houses there was a culvert, concealed from men and from the sun, and only three ells distant from Lucretia’s window, and here the lover sat for a long time, waiting till some chance should bring her. Nor was he disappointed, for Lucretia came at last; and as she looked this way and that,—

‘What are you doing?’ said Euryalus, ‘Mistress of my life. What are you looking at, my heart? Here, turn your eyes here, my bulwark, for your Euryalus is here. Look—look—it is I—look at me.’

‘You here?’ cried Lucretia. ‘Oh, my Euryalus! Now at last I can speak to you. Oh, that I had the strength to embrace you.’

To which he replied, ‘That’s easily managed. I’ll bring a ladder. Lock your door. We have postponed too long the enjoyment of our love.’

‘Take care, Euryalus, if you value my safety. There is a window here on the right, and my worst neighbour. And you must not trust the innkeeper; for a little money he’d lose us both. But we’ll find another way. It is enough if we can talk to each other from here.’

‘But for me,’ he said, ‘to see you thus is death, unless I can also kiss you and hold you in my arms.’

For a long time they spoke together from this place, and sent each other presents on a rod. And Lucretia was just as generous with her gifts as Euryalus.

But Sosias discovered their secret, and, said he to himself, ‘It is no use my opposing a lover’s will. Unless I am careful, my lady will be lost and my lord disgraced, and of the two evils I had better avert one. Let my lady love; it will do no harm, provided it is not found out. But she is blind with love, and does not take sufficient care of her actions. Since her honour cannot be protected, at least I can prevent a scandal, so that the house is not disgraced or murder committed. I’ll go and offer my help. I have tried all I could not to do what is wrong. Since that is impossible, I’ll see to it that the worst is done in secret (to do nothing won’t help) and so arrange it that no one knows. Lust is a common evil; no man is not worried by that pest, but he is considered least disgraceful who is most cautious.’

While he was thinking thus, he saw Lucretia come out of her room, and going up to her he said:

‘Why do you not confide your love-affair to me? You love Euryalus as much as ever, and, since you love him in secret, you should be careful whom you trust. The first step in wisdom is not to love at all. But the second is, if you love, to keep it quiet. You cannot do this alone, without some intermediary. How loyal I am to you, you long ago found out. If you wish me to do anything, command me. My chief anxiety is that this love of yours should not be discovered, and you pay the penalty while your husband is disgraced.’

And Lucretia answered:

‘It is as you say, Sosias, I have great faith in you. But you seemed—I don't know why—careless and opposed to my desires. However, now that you offer your help freely, I’ll accept it, and shall have no fear of being betrayed by you. You know how much I love; I cannot endure this passion any longer. Help me, by bringing us together. Euryalus is faint with love, and I am dying of it. Nothing could be worse, than to oppose our desires. If once we have known each other, we’ll love less ardently, and our affection will be kept secret. Go then, tell Euryalus this is the only way to get to me.

‘Four days from now, when the farmhands are bringing in the grain, he must dress up as a carrier, conceal his face under a sack and bring the wheat up the stairs and into the granary. You know that my room has a door opening on the stairs, and you must tell Euryalus everything. I’ll stay there till day and, while I can, shall be alone in my chamber. He must, when he is alone, open the door and come to me.’

It was a heavy burden, but Sosias feared worse disasters, and undertook it. So he found Euryalus, and told him everything in order, while he made light of it and joyfully accepted, promising to obey her commands, and only wishing he had not so long to wait.