midnight
I make no manner of doubt that , as he has said , even so it befell , and so he did . How , you shall hear . This worthy man , to whom , worse luck ! you gave me to wife , a merchant , as he calls himself , and as such would fain have credit , and who ought to be more temperate than a religious , and more continent than a girl , lets scarce an evening pass but he goes a boozing in the taverns , and consorting with this or the other woman of the town ; and 't is for me to await his return until midnight or sometimes until matins , even as you now find me . I doubt not that , being thoroughly well drunk , he got him to bed with one of these wantons , and , awaking , found the pack-thread on her foot , and afterwards did actually perform all these brave exploits of which he speaks , and in the end came back to her , and beat her , and cut her hair off , and being not yet quite recovered from his debauch , believed , and , I doubt not , still believes , that 't was I that he thus treated ; and if you will but scan his face closely , you will see that he is still half drunk . But , whatever he may have said about me , I would have you account it as nothing more than the disordered speech of a tipsy man ; and forgive him as I do . '' Whereupon the lady 's mother raised no small outcry , saying : -- `` By the Holy Rood , my daughter , this may not be !