g they might be officers of the watch or other
ill-disposed folk, he stealthily took refuge, to avoid them, in a
hovel, that he saw hard by. But they, as of malice aforethought, made
straight for the same place and entering in, began to examine certain
irons which one of them laid from off his shoulder, discoursing
various things thereof the while.

[Footnote 101: _i.e._ Catalan Street.]

Presently, 'What meaneth this?' quoth one. 'I smell the worst stench
meseemeth I ever smelt.' So saying, he raised the lantern and seeing
the wretched Andreuccio, enquired, in amazement. 'Who is there?'
Andreuccio made no answer, but they came up to him with the light and
asked him what he did there in such a pickle; whereupon he related to
them all that had befallen him, and they, conceiving where this might
have happened, said, one to the other, 'Verily, this must have been
in the house of Scarabone Buttafuocco.' Then, turning to him, 'Good
man,' quoth one, 'albeit thou hast lost thy money, thou hast much
reason to praise God that this mischance betided thee, so that thou
fellest nor couldst after avail to enter the house again; for, hadst
thou not fallen, thou mayst be assured that, when once thou wast
fallen asleep, thou hadst been knocked on the head and hadst lost thy
life as well as thy money. But what booteth it now to repine? Thou
mayst as well look to have the stars out of the sky as to recover a
farthing of thy money; nay, thou art like to be murdered, should
yonder fellow hear that thou makest any words thereof.' Then they
consulted together awhile and presently said to him, 'Look you, we are
moved to pity for thee; wherefore, an thou wilt join with us in
somewhat we go about to do, it seemeth to us certain that there will
fall to thee for thy share much more than the value of that which thou
hast lost.' Whereupon Andreuccio, in his desperation, answered that he
was ready.

Now there had been that day buried an archbishop of Naples, by name
Messer Filippo Minutolo, and he had been interred in his richest
ornaments and with a ruby on his finger worth more than five hundred
florins of gold. Him they were minded to despoil and this their intent
they discovered to Andreuccio, who, more covetous than well-advised,
set out with them for the cathedral. As they went, Andreuccio still
stinking amain, one of the thieves said, 'Can we not find means for
this fellow to wash himself a little, be it where it may, so he may
not stink