FORTUNATUS.
In the city of Famagosta, in the island of Cyprus, there lived a very
rich gentleman. His name was Theodorus: he married a lady who was the
greatest beauty in Cyprus, and she was as rich as himself; she was
called Graciana. They both had every pleasure that wealth could buy,
and lived in the first style. Besides all this, the lady Graciana
brought her husband a fine little son, who was named Fortunatus; so
one would think nothing could have kept Theodorus from being the most
happy person in the world. But this was not long the case; for when he
had enjoyed all these pleasures for some time, he grew tired of them,
and began to keep company with young noblemen of the court, with whom
he sat up all night drinking and playing cards, so that in a few years
he spent all his fortune. He was now very sorry for what he had done,
but it was too late; and there was nothing he could do, but to work at
some trade to support his wife and child. For all this the lady
Graciana never found fault with him, but still loved her husband the
same as before; saying, "Dear Theodorus, to be sure I do not know how
to work at any trade; but if I can not help you in earning money, I
will help you to save it." So Theodorus set to work; and though the
lady Graciana had always been used only to ring her bell for
everything that she wanted, she now scoured the kettles and washed the
clothes with her own hands.
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