ity, entered the house without hesitation,--preceded by the
serving-maid, who called her mistress and said, 'Here is
Andreuccio,'--and mounting the stair, saw the damsel come to the
stairhead to receive him. Now she was yet in the prime of youth, tall
of person, with a very fair face and very handsomely dressed and
adorned. As he drew near her, she came down three steps to meet him
with open arms and clasping him round the neck, abode awhile without
speaking, as if hindered by excess of tenderness; then kissed him on
the forehead, weeping, and said, in a somewhat broken voice, 'O my
Andreuccio, thou art indeed welcome.'

[Footnote 96: _i.e._ ill hole.]

He was amazed at such tender caresses and answered, all confounded,
'Madam, you are well met.' Thereupon, taking him by the hand, she
carried him up into her saloon and thence, without saying another word
to him, she brought him into her chamber, which was all redolent of
roses and orange flowers and other perfumes. Here he saw a very fine
bed, hung round with curtains, and store of dresses upon the pegs and
other very goodly and rich gear, after the usance of those parts; by
reason whereof, like a freshman as he was, he firmly believed her to
be no less than a great lady. She made him sit with her on a chest
that stood at the foot of the bed and bespoke him thus, 'Andreuccio, I
am very certain thou marvellest at these caresses that I bestow on
thee and at my tears, as he may well do who knoweth me not and hath
maybe never heard speak of me; but I have that to tell thee which is
like to amaze thee yet more, namely, that I am thy sister; and I tell
thee that, since God hath vouchsafed me to look upon one of my
brothers, (though fain would I see you all,) before my death,
henceforth I shall not die disconsolate; and as perchance thou has
never heard of this, I will tell it thee.

Pietro, my father and thine, as I doubt not thou knowest, abode long
in Palermo and there for his good humour and pleasant composition was
and yet is greatly beloved of those who knew him; but, among all his
lovers, my mother, who was a lady of gentle birth and then a widow,
was she who most affected him, insomuch that, laying aside the fear of
her father and brethren, as well as the care of her own honour, she
became so private with him that I was born thereof and grew up as thou
seest me. Presently, having occasion to depart Palermo and return to
Perugia, he left me a little maid with my moth