e'en cause
her come hither into your and their presence.' The Soldan, disposed in
the matter altogether to comply with Sicurano's wishes, answered that
he would well and bade him produce the lady; whereat Bernabo marvelled
exceedingly, for that he firmly believed her to be dead, whilst
Ambrogiuolo, now divining his danger, began to be in fear of worse
than paying of monies and knew not whether more to hope or to fear
from the coming of the lady, but awaited her appearance with the
utmost amazement. The Soldan, then, having accorded Sicurano his wish,
the latter threw himself, weeping, on his knees before him and putting
off, as it were at one and the same time, his manly voice and
masculine demeanour, said, 'My lord, I am the wretched misfortunate
Ginevra, who have these six years gone wandering in man's disguise
about the world, having been foully and wickedly aspersed by this
traitor Ambrogiuolo and given by yonder cruel and unjust man to one
of his servants to be slain and eaten of wolves.' Then, tearing open
the fore part of her clothes and showing her breast, she discovered
herself to the Soldan and all else who were present and after, turning
to Ambrogiuolo, indignantly demanded of him when he had ever lain with
her, according as he had aforetime boasted; but he, now knowing her
and fallen well nigh dumb for shame, said nothing. The Soldan, who had
always held her a man, seeing and hearing this, fell into such a
wonderment that he more than once misdoubted that which he saw and
heard to be rather a dream than true. However, after his amazement had
abated, apprehending the truth of the matter, he lauded to the utmost
the life and fashions of Ginevra, till then called Sicurano, and
extolled her constancy and virtue; and letting bring her very
sumptuous woman's apparel and women to attend her, he pardoned
Bernabo, in accordance with her request, the death he had merited,
whilst the latter, recognizing her, cast himself at her feet, weeping
and craving forgiveness, which she, ill worthy as he was thereof,
graciously accorded him and raising him to his feet, embraced him
tenderly, as her husband. Then the Soldan commanded that Ambrogiuolo
should incontinent be bound to a stake and smeared with honey and
exposed to the sun in some high place of the city, nor should ever be
loosed thence till such time as he should fall of himself; and so was
it done. After this he commanded that all that had belonged to him
should be gi