The Sea-Captain's Tale:

There is a merchant and his wife who live in St. Denis. The merchant is very good friends with a visiting monk from Paris named Brother John. The merchant is preparing to leave for a business trip to Bruges, so before his departure he counts his income and takes stock of his items. He locks himself away in his office because it is time consuming work that requires a lot of attention. While the merchant is tucked away in his office, the wife approaches Brother John and tells him of her woes. She thinks her husband to be too stingy, and says that he never gives her money to buy any clothes, making her look lik a serving wench at best. She is to host a dinner party while the merchant is away but she has no money to buy a proper outfit. Her husband refuses to give her money because he believes her to be properly equipped. She asks Brother John for a hundred francs so she can buy a dress. Because the wife talked openly of her husband and told him a secret concerning her views on his manner, the monk tells her that he loves her. He says that he will give her the money if she were to spend the night with him in exchange. Brother John then goes to the merchant and discreetly asks for a hundred francs to pay a debt, which the merchant gratefully loans. Both the merchant and the monk leave to Bruges and Paris respectively. The next day Brother John returns and gives the wife the hundred francs, along with accepting his reward. Upon his return to Paris, the monk meets up with the merchant, who he tells that he returned the money to his wife in full and that his debt and loan are now clear. When the merchant returns home and the wife does not mention the payment he asks the wife why she has not yet told him. She says she spent the money on clothes and though it was a gift rather than a payment and apologizes.. but she is secretly very angry that Brother John tricked her.