tom of the alley and sore chagrined
at the mishap, he fell a-bawling for the boy; but the latter, as soon
as he heard him fall, had run to tell his mistress, who hastened to
his chamber and searching hurriedly if his clothes were there, found
them and with them the money, which, in his mistrust, he still
foolishly carried about him. Having now gotten that for which,
feigning herself of Palermo and sister to a Perugian, she had set her
snare, she took no more reck of him, but hastened to shut the door
whereby he had gone out when he fell.

Andreuccio, getting no answer from the boy, proceeded to call
loudlier, but to no purpose; whereupon, his suspicions being now
aroused, he began too late to smoke the cheat. Accordingly, he
scrambled over a low wall that shut off the alley from the street, and
letting himself down into the road, went up to the door of the house,
which he knew very well, and there called long and loud and shook and
beat upon it amain, but all in vain. Wherefore, bewailing himself, as
one who was now fully aware of his mischance, 'Ah, woe is me!' cried
he. 'In how little time have I lost five hundred florins and a
sister!' Then, after many other words, he fell again to battering the
door and crying out and this he did so long and so lustily that many
of the neighbours, being awakened and unable to brook the annoy, arose
and one of the courtezan's waiting-women, coming to the window,
apparently all sleepy-eyed, said peevishly, 'Who knocketh below
there?'

'What?' cried Andreuccio. 'Dost thou not know me? I am Andreuccio,
brother to Madam Fiordaliso.' Whereto quoth she, 'Good man, an thou
have drunken overmuch, go sleep and come back to-morrow morning. I
know no Andreuccio nor what be these idle tales thou tellest. Begone
in peace and let us sleep, so it please thee.' 'How?' replied
Andreuccio. 'Thou knowest not what I mean? Certes, thou knowest; but,
if Sicilian kinships be of such a fashion that they are forgotten in
so short a time, at least give me back my clothes and I will begone
with all my heart.' 'Good man,' rejoined she, as if laughing,
'methinketh thou dreamest'; and to say this and to draw in her head
and shut the window were one and the same thing. Whereat Andreuccio,
now fully certified of his loss, was like for chagrin to turn his
exceeding anger into madness and bethought himself to seek to recover
by violence that which he might not have again with words; wherefore,
taking up a great st