briefliest he might, who he was
and how and why he was there, trembling the while on such wise that he
could scarce form the words, and after fell to beseeching her
piteously not to leave him there all night to perish of cold, [but to
succour him,] an it might be. The maid was moved to pity of him and
returning to her mistress, told her all. The lady, on like wise taking
compassion on him and remembering that she had the key of the door
aforesaid, which served whiles for the privy entrances of the Marquis,
said, 'Go softly and open to him; here is this supper and none to eat
it and we have commodity enough for his lodging.'

[Footnote 85: _i.e._ whose teeth chattered as it were the clapping of
a stork's beak.]

The maid, having greatly commended her mistress for this her humanity,
went and opening to Rinaldo, brought him in; whereupon the lady,
seeing him well nigh palsied with cold, said to him, 'Quick, good man,
enter this bath, which is yet warm.' Rinaldo, without awaiting farther
invitation, gladly obeyed and was so recomforted with the warmth of
the bath that himseemed he was come back from death to life. The lady
let fetch him a suit of clothes that had pertained to her husband,
then lately dead, which when he had donned, they seemed made to his
measure, and whilst awaiting what she should command him, he fell to
thanking God and St. Julian for that they had delivered him from the
scurvy night he had in prospect and had, as he deemed, brought him to
good harbourage.

Presently, the lady, being somewhat rested,[86] let make a great fire
in her dining-hall and betaking herself thither, asked how it was with
the poor man; whereto the maid answered, 'Madam, he hath clad himself
and is a handsome man and appeareth a person of good condition and
very well-mannered.' Quoth the lady, 'Go, call him and bid him come to
the fire and sup, for I know he is fasting.' Accordingly, Rinaldo
entered the hall and seeing the gentlewoman, who appeared to him a
lady of quality, saluted her respectfully and rendered her the best
thanks in his power for the kindness done him. The lady, having seen
and heard him and finding him even as her maid had said, received him
graciously and making him sit familiarly with her by the fire,
questioned him of the chance that had brought him thither; whereupon
he related everything to her in order. Now she had heard somewhat of
this at the time of his servant's coming into the town, wherefore she
g