With reference to this story Brantôme writes as follows in the Sixth
Discourse of his _Vies des Dames Galantes_:--
“In the hundred stories of Queen Margaret of Navarre we have a very fine
tale of that lady of Milan who, having one night given an assignation to
the late M. de Bonnivet, afterwards Admiral of France, posted her maids
with drawn swords on the stairs so that they might make a noise there;
which they did right well, in obedience to the orders of their mistress,
who for her part feigned great affright, saying that her brothers-in-law
must have remarked something amiss, that she herself was lost, and that
he, Bonnivet, ought to hide under the bed or behind the hangings. But M.
de Bonnivet, without evincing any fear, wrapped his cape round his arm,
and taking his sword replied: ‘Well, where are these brave brothers who
want to frighten me, or do me harm? When they see me they will not even
dare to look at the point of my sword.’ Then opening the door he rushed
out, and just as he was about to charge down the staircase he espied the
women making all this noise; and they, taking fright at sight of him,
began to cry out and confess everything. M. de Bonnivet, seeing that it
was nothing more serious, left them, bidding them betake themselves to
the devil; and then, returning into the room, he closed the door after
him and went to find his lady, who began to laugh and embrace him, and
confess to him that it was a trick devised by herself, assuring him that
if he had behaved as a poltroon, and had not thus displayed the valour
which he was said to possess, he should never have had her favours....
She was one of the most beautiful women of Milan, and he had had a deal
of trouble to win her.
“I knew a brave gentleman who, one day at Rome, was alone with a pretty
Roman lady--her husband being away--and she gave him a similar alarm,
causing one of her women to come in hastily to warn her that her husband
had returned from the country. The lady, feigning astonishment, begged
the gentleman to hide himself in a closet, as otherwise she would be
lost. ‘No, no,’ said the gentleman; ‘I would not do that for all the
wealth in the world; if he comes I will kill him.’ And as he seized upon
his sword the lady began to laugh and confess that she had contrived
this to try him so as to see how he would act, and if he would defend
her well should her husband seek to do her any harm.
“I also knew a very beautiful lady who suddenly left a lover she
had, because she did not find him brave, and took another who did not
resemble him, but who was extremely feared and redoubted on account
of his sword, he being one of the best swordsmen that could then be
found.”--Lalanne’s _OEuvres de Brantôme_, vol. ix. pp. 388-90.