bade Lauretta lead up a dance, whilst Emilia sang a song, to
the accompaniment of Dioneo's lute. Accordingly, Lauretta promptly set
up a dance and led it off, whilst Emilia amorously warbled the
following song:

I burn for mine own charms with such a fire,
Methinketh that I ne'er
Of other love shall reck or have desire.

Whene'er I mirror me, I see therein[75]
That good which still contenteth heart and spright;
Nor fortune new nor thought of old can win
To dispossess me of such dear delight.
What other object, then, could fill my sight,
Enough of pleasance e'er
To kindle in my breast a new desire?

This good flees not, what time soe'er I'm fain
Afresh to view it for my solacement;
Nay, at my pleasure, ever and again
With such a grace it doth itself present
Speech cannot tell it nor its full intent
Be known of mortal e'er,
Except indeed he burn with like desire.

And I, grown more enamoured every hour,
The straitlier fixed mine eyes upon it be,
Give all myself and yield me to its power,
E'en tasting now of that it promised me,
And greater joyance yet I hope to see,
Of such a strain as ne'er
Was proven here below of love-desire.

[Footnote 75: _i.e._ in the mirrored presentment of her own beauty.]

Lauretta having thus made an end of her ballad,[76]--in the burden of
which all had blithely joined, albeit the words thereof gave some much
matter for thought,--divers other rounds were danced and a part of the
short night being now spent, it pleased the queen to give an end to
the first day; wherefore, letting kindle the flambeaux, she commanded
that all should betake themselves to rest until the ensuing morning,
and all, accordingly, returning to their several chambers, did so.

[Footnote 76: _Ballatella_, lit. little dancing song or song made to
be sung as an accompaniment to a dance (from _ballare_, to dance).
This is the origin of our word ballad.]

HERE ENDETH THE FIRST DAY
OF THE DECAMERON

_Day the Second_

HERE BEGINNETH THE SECOND DAY OF THE DECAMERON WHEREIN UNDER
THE GOVERNANCE OF FILOMENA IS DISCOURSED OF THOSE WHO AFTER
BEING BAFFLED BY DIVERS CHANCES HAVE WON AT LAST TO A JOYFUL
ISSUE BEYOND THEIR HOPE

The sun had already everywhere brought on the new day with its light
and the birds, carolling blithely