some days and informing
himself with the utmost precaution of the name of the street where the
lady dwelt and of her manner of life, understood of her that and more
than that which he had heard of her from Bernabo, wherefore himseemed
he was come on a fool's errand. However, he presently clapped up an
acquaintance with a poor woman, who was much about the house and whose
great well-wisher the lady was, and availing not to induce her to
aught else, he debauched her with money and prevailed with her to
bring him, in a chest wroughten after a fashion of his own, not only
into the house, but into the gentlewoman's very bedchamber, where,
according to the ordinance given her of him, the good woman commended
it to her care for some days, as if she had a mind to go somewhither.
The chest, then being left in the chamber and the night come,
Ambrogiuolo, what time he judged the lady to be asleep, opened the
chest with certain engines of his and came softly out into the
chamber, where there was a light burning, with whose aid he proceeded
to observe the ordinance of the place, the paintings and every other
notable thing that was therein and fixed them in his memory. Then,
drawing near the bed and perceiving that the lady and a little girl,
who was with her, were fast asleep, he softly altogether uncovered the
former and found that she was as fair, naked, as clad, but saw no sign
about her that he might carry away, save one, to wit, a mole which she
had under the left pap and about which were sundry little hairs as red
as gold. This noted he covered her softly up again, albeit, seeing her
so fair, he was tempted to adventure his life and lay himself by her
side; however, for that he had heard her to be so obdurate and
uncomplying in matters of this kind, he hazarded not himself, but,
abiding at his leisure in the chamber the most part of the night, took
from one of her coffers a purse and a night-rail, together with sundry
rings and girdles, and laying them all in his chest, returned thither
himself and shut himself up therein as before; and on this wise he did
two nights, without the lady being ware of aught. On the third day the
good woman came back for the chest, according to the given ordinance,
and carried it off whence she had taken it, whereupon Ambrogiuolo came
out and having rewarded her according to promise, returned, as
quickliest he might, with the things aforesaid, to Paris, where he
arrived before the term appointed.