d even in Siena.

Now one evening he was returning home to Santa Maria Novella _dalla
cercha_, "from the quest," and found himself still a few miles from
Florence. And good fortune had favoured him marvellously that day, for
his ass bore two panniers which were _ben carichi d'ogni sorta di grazia
di Dio_--"stuffed full with all sorts of mercies of God," such as bags of
wheat, maize, wheat-meal, chickens, oil, cheese, butter, wine, truffles,
onions, geese, turnips, sausages, bread, ducks; in short, Signore, as I
said, there was _ogni sorta di grazia di Dio_, and enough to support a
poor family for a month.

Now, darkness coming on, and rain falling, the Friar stopped at a lonely
house, where he neither knew the people nor was known to them, and begged
for a night's lodging. The master of the place was a well-to-do person,
but a great knave, and no sooner had he perceived that the monk had such
a plentiful stock of provisions, than he saw his way to give all his
neighbours a splendid feast at no expense to himself, at which he could
not fail to relieve some of his guests of their money.

Now this rogue had a daughter who was _scaltra e bene affilata_--shrewd
and sharp as a razor, one who could teach cats to see in the dark, and
who had grown to villainy from her babyhood, even as a reed shoots
upwards. And she only caught a wink from her good father, which glanced
off on to the load of the friar's donkey, to understand the whole game,
and what was expected of her.

You must know, Signore Carlo, that the wench was very good-looking--bad
wine in a silver cup, pretty to look at, but vile to sup--and had all the
sweet, innocent, simple look of a saint, and she made up to Frate
Giocondo like a kitten to a child, which he took in no wise amiss, being
used to such conquests. And who so flattering and fawning as they all
were on Brother Giocondo; how they laughed at his jests, and seemed to be
in the last agonies of delight; but winked at one another withal, for
there were six lusty brothers or cousins in the family, who, in case of
need, did the heavy dragging out, or advanced the last argument with
clubs.

By-and-by, as the night wore on, the black-eyed baggage stole away and
hid herself in the room allotted to the Friar, though with no intention
to break the seventh--but that against stealing--as you will see. For
when the good Giocondo went to bed, which he did in full dress, he knew
not that she was there. And as