Better to do and repent, than to abstain and repent

“Better to do and repent, than to abstain and repent” is the decisive maxim in the lady’s private reasoning about whether to accept Ricciardo il Zima’s love. In the story, it makes opportunity—not abstract caution—the measure of her choice: with her husband away, she decides that refusing now could leave her with a sharper regret later.

Wording and Immediate Context

The phrase appears as the conclusion of the lady’s deliberation after her husband has gone to Milan, where he is to take up the Provostship. She expects him to remain away for six months and recalls Ricciardo il Zima’s affection and the palfrey he gave for her sake. Alone in her house, she considers her youth, the unusual leisure she has, and the possibility that she may not find another lover like him. The maxim gathers these circumstances into a compact comparison between two regrets: regret for an action taken and regret for a chance left unused.

From Reflection to Action

The saying is not merely a general observation; it settles a choice. The lady concludes that no one will know of the affair and that she should use the opportunity while it lasts. She then puts Ricciardo il Zima’s previously described signal into practice, setting two napkins in the garden window. When he sees them, he comes secretly to the open garden gate and finds her waiting inside. The maxim thus marks the transition from solitary consideration to a deliberate invitation.

Consequence and Narrative Function

Their meeting begins a continuing affair. The couple meet repeatedly while the husband is in Milan and even after his return, to the satisfaction of both. The expression therefore frames a choice whose consequences persist beyond the temporary absence that made it possible. Its force in this episode lies in the contrast between hesitation and initiative: the lady treats inaction as a decision with its own cost, and the proverb supplies the rationale for acting before her freedom and opportunity pass.