ver and a day' to the creditor, and in a rage he
had recourse to his collector, who on Saturday morning went to San
Miniato. When he arrived, he had to wait till the grand mass was over,
to the great vexation of the young man, and meanwhile eight powerful
monks with long staves had grouped themselves about the door, awaiting a
little healthy exercise.

"And mass being over, the dun hastened up to the Abbot, who, taking him
by the hand, said: 'Oh, my son, put thy trust in God and in San Miniato
the blessed; pray that he may take this evil conceit from thy head,' and
with this much more, till the young man grew impatient and said:

"'Messer Abbot, to-day is Saturday, and no time for sermons. I have come
to know what you are going to do about this debt of Piovano of
twenty-eight florins, and when it will be paid?'

"Then the Abbot, hearing, as he expected, the demand for money, began to
exhort and exorcise. And the youth began to abuse the Abbot with all
kind of villanies, and finally turned to depart; but the Abbot caught him
by the cloak, and there was a fight. Then came the eight monks, who
seizing him, chastised him lustily, and bound him with cords, and bearing
him into the sacristy, sprinkled him with holy water, and incensed him
indeed--and then set the holy head of San Miniato on his head--he
thinking they were all mad as hatters. Then they exorcised the evil
spirits in him--'_Maledicti_!_ excommunicati et rebelles--sitis in paena
aeternali nulla requies sit in vo-o-o-bis si statim non eritis
obedientes_, _praeceptis me-e-e-e-is_!'--until the youth had to give in,
and beg the Abbot's pardon, and being released, fled as for dear life.

"But he met outside Piovano Arlotto, who said to him: 'Thou hast had a
dainty drubbing, my son, but there is plenty more where that came
from--_non v'e ne fin_, _ne fondo_--there is neither end nor bottom to
it. Now go to thy master, and say that if he goes further in this
business he will fare worse than thou hast done.'

"The youth, returning to Florence, told the tale to his employer, and how
Piovano Arlotto had declared if they dunned him any more he would do his
best to have them drubbed to death. So they dropped the matter--like a
hot shot.

"Everybody in Florence roared with laughter for seven days--_sparsa la
piacevolezza per Firenze_, _vi fu che ridere per setti giorni_--that is
to say, everybody laughed except one clothmaker and his collector, and if
they smiled