here, he went his way down, as you have
seen.' Quoth the husband, 'Wife, thou didst well, it were too great a
reproach to us, had a man been slain in our house, and Messer
Lambertuccio did exceeding unmannerly to follow a person who had taken
refuge here.'

Then he asked where the young man was, and the lady answered, 'Indeed
sir, I know not where he hath hidden himself.' Then said the husband
'Where art thou? Come forth in safety.' Whereupon Leonetto, who had
heard everything, came forth all trembling for fear, (as indeed he had
had a great fright,) of the place where he had hidden himself, and the
gentleman said to him, 'What hast thou to do with Messer
Lambertuccio?' 'Sir,' answered he, 'I have nothing in the world to do
with him, wherefore methinketh assuredly he is either not in his right
wits or he hath mistaken me for another; for that no sooner did he set
eyes on me in the road not far from this house than he forthright
clapped his hand to his hanger and said, "Traitor, thou art a dead
man!" I stayed not to ask why, but took to my heels as best I might
and made my way hither, where, thanks to God and to this gentlewoman,
I have escaped.' Quoth the husband, 'Go to; have no fears; I will
bring thee to thine own house safe and sound, and thou canst after
seek out what thou hast to do with him.' Accordingly, when they had
supped, he mounted him a-horseback and carrying him back to Florence,
left him in his own house. As for Leonetto, that same evening,
according as he had been lessoned of the lady, he privily bespoke
Messer Lambertuccio and took such order with him, albeit there was
much talk of the matter thereafterward, the husband never for all that
became aware of the cheat that had been put on him by his wife."

THE SEVENTH STORY

[Day the Seventh]

LODOVICO DISCOVERETH TO MADAM BEATRICE THE LOVE HE BEARETH
HER, WHEREUPON SHE SENDETH EGANO HER HUSBAND INTO THE
GARDEN, IN HER OWN FAVOUR, AND LIETH MEANWHILE WITH
LODOVICO, WHO, PRESENTLY ARISING, GOETH AND CUDGELLETH EGANO
IN THE GARDEN

Madam Isabella's presence of mind, as related by Pampinea, was held
admirable by all the company; but, whilst they yet marvelled thereat,
Filomena, whom the king had appointed to follow on, said, "Lovesome
ladies, and I mistake not, methinketh I can tell you no less goodly a
story on the same subject, and that forthright.

You must know, then, that there was once in Paris a Florentine
gen