in the wall that
parted the two houses and therethrough to spy once and again till such
time as she should see the youth aforesaid and find an occasion of
speaking with him and bestowing on him her love, so he would accept
thereof, purposing, if a means could be found, to foregather with him
bytimes and on this wise while away her sorry life till such time as
the demon [of jealousy] should take leave of her husband.

Accordingly, she went spying about the walls of the house, now in one
part and now in another, whenas her husband was abroad, and happened
at last upon a very privy place where the wall was somewhat opened by
a fissure and looking therethrough, albeit she could ill discover what
was on the other side, algates she perceived that the opening gave
upon a bedchamber there and said in herself, 'Should this be the
chamber of Filippo,' to wit, the youth her neighbour, 'I were half
sped.' Then, causing secretly enquire of this by a maid of hers, who
had pity upon her, she found that the young man did indeed sleep in
that chamber all alone; wherefore, by dint of often visiting the
crevice and dropping pebbles and such small matters, whenas she
perceived him to be there, she wrought on such wise that he came to
the opening, to see what was to do; whereupon she called to him
softly. He, knowing her voice, answered her, and she, profiting by the
occasion, discovered to him in brief all her mind; whereat the youth
was mightily content and made shift to enlarge the hole from his side
on such wise that none could perceive it; and therethrough they many a
time bespoke one another and touched hands, but could go no farther,
for the jealous vigilance of the husband.

After awhile, the Feast of the Nativity drawing near, the lady told
her husband that, an it pleased him, she would fain go to church on
Christmas morning and confess and take the sacrament, as other
Christians did. Quoth he, 'And what sin hast thou committed that thou
wouldst confess?' 'How?' answered the lady. 'Thinkest thou that I am a
saint, because thou keepest me mewed up? Thou must know well enough
that I commit sins like all others that live in this world; but I will
not tell them to thee, for that thou art not a priest.' The jealous
wretch took suspicion at these words and determined to seek to know
what sins she had committed; wherefore, having bethought himself of a
means whereby he might gain his end, he answered that he was content,
but that he wou