“The Maid of Thilhouse”, as entitled by the first two publishers featured below, becomes “The Virgin of Thilhouse” to the third.
This is the story a far older wealthy man who sought to purchase a sixteen year old bride with bribery and property; this rather backfired on him. A short piece nevertheless packed with witty prose.
![Valênes fidgeted on his stool, stretching out his neck like a monkey](https://i2.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14172037-579x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
Here is Mervyn Peake’s illustration.
![](https://i1.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14230086-665x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14203687-1024x756.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14242888-665x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14254198-665x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14270484-665x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
These are those of Gustave Doré;
![](https://i0.wp.com/derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/img20230115_14293727-665x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
and this one by Jean de Bosschère.
Further details of each of these publications is given in https://derrickjknight.com/2023/01/06/droll-tales-1/