WIFE OF PAGANINO

Each of the honourable company highly commended for goodly the story
told by their queen, especially Dioneo, with whom alone for that
present day it now rested to tell, and who, after many praises
bestowed upon the preceding tale, said, "Fair ladies, one part of the
queen's story hath caused me change counsel of telling you one that
was in my mind, and determine to tell you another,--and that is the
stupidity of Bernabo (albeit good betided him thereof) and of all
others who give themselves to believe that which he made a show of
believing and who, to wit, whilst going about the world, diverting
themselves now with this woman and now with that, imagine that the
ladies left at home abide with their hands in their girdles, as if we
knew not, we who are born and reared among the latter, unto what they
are fain. In telling you this story, I shall at once show you how
great is the folly of these folk and how greater yet is that of those
who, deeming themselves more potent than nature herself, think by dint
of sophistical inventions[140] to avail unto that which is beyond
their power and study to bring others to that which they themselves
are, whenas the complexion of those on whom they practise brooketh it
not.

[Footnote 140: Lit. fabulous demonstrations (_dimostrazioni
favolose_), casuistical arguments, founded upon premises of their own
invention.]

There was, then, in Pisa a judge, by name Messer Ricciardo di
Chinzica, more gifted with wit than with bodily strength, who,
thinking belike to satisfy a wife by the same means which served him
to despatch his studies and being very rich, sought with no little
diligence to have a fair and young lady to wife; whereas, had he but
known to counsel himself as he counselled others, he should have
shunned both the one and the other. The thing came to pass according
to his wish, for Messer Lotto Gualandi gave him to wife a daughter of
his, Bartolomea by name, one of the fairest and handsomest young
ladies of Pisa, albeit there be few there that are not very lizards to
look upon. The judge accordingly brought her home with the utmost pomp
and having held a magnificent wedding, made shift the first night to
hand her one venue for the consummation of the marriage, but came
within an ace of making a stalemate of it, whereafter, lean and dry
and scant of wind as he was, it behoved him on the morrow bring
himself back to life with malmsey and restorative confection