soon as he began to snore, she tapped
gently on the wall three times, and then went and laid herself down
softly by the Friar, who did not awake. At which all the band came
bursting in with torches and staves, and began to beat the victim,
reviling and cursing him for having deluded the poor child, so that there
was a fearful _fracasso_--a great riot--but they left the door open,
through which the pious Giocondo bolted, and none pursued, as they had
already secured his provisions.

Now Giocondo shrewdly noted this, and at once understood that he had been
as shrewdly robbed, and that by such a trick as left no door open to
return and claim his property. So he quietly mounted his ass and rode
away, and returning to the convent, thought it all over, till he came to
a device to revenge himself. For he was one of those who was never bit
by a wolf but what he had his skin.

So he let a long time pass by, and then went to work. First of all he
got two jars, and paid a contadino to catch for him as many living vipers
as would fill them both, saying it was for the apothecary of his convent
to make _teriaca_ or Venetian treacle, which is a cure for serpents'
bites. And then he disguised himself like a lord's messenger, darkening
his face, and putting on long curling locks, with a bold impudent air,
with cloak and feather, sword and dagger; truly no one would ever have
known him. And in this guise he went again to the _Albergo de' Ladri_,
or Thieves' Den, asking once more for lodging, which was cheerfully
granted.

Now the part which he played, and that to perfection, was that of a
foolish gasconading servant; nor had he been long in the house ere he
informed his host in confidence that he served a great lord who was in
love with a married lady in Florence, and to win her good graces had sent
her two jars full of honey or conserves, but that there was in each a
hundred crowns in gold, of which he was to privately inform the lady,
lest her husband should suspect the truth; adding artfully, "But i'
faith, if I were to steal the whole myself and run away, my lord would
never pursue me, so fearful is he lest the thing should be found out; and
even if I were to be robbed, one could do nothing."

And as he said this he saw the knave give a wink to his daughter, and
knew very well what it meant, but pretended to take no notice of it. So
all went as before, and the girl stole into his room and hid herself.
But he, who was prepa