happen as he said; wherefore quoth she,
'Ricciardo, I know not how God will vouchsafe me strength to suffer
the affront and the cheat thou hast put upon me; I will well to make
no outcry here whither my simplicity and overmuch jealousy have
brought me; but of this be assured that I shall never be content till
one way or another I see myself avenged of this thou hast done to me.
Wherefore, leave me, hold me no longer; thou hast had that which thou
desiredst and hast tumbled me to thy heart's content; it is time to
leave me; let me go, I prithee.'

Ricciardo, seeing her mind yet overmuch disordered, had laid it to
heart never to leave her till he had gotten his pardon of her;
wherefore, studying with the softest words to appease her, he so
bespoke and so entreated and so conjured her that she was prevailed
upon to make peace with him, and of like accord they abode together a
great while thereafter in the utmost delight. Moreover, Catella,
having thus learned how much more savoury were the lover's kisses than
those of the husband and her former rigour being changed into kind
love-liking for Ricciardo, from that day forth she loved him very
tenderly and thereafter, ordering themselves with the utmost
discretion, they many a time had joyance of their loves. God grant us
to enjoy ours!"

THE SEVENTH STORY

[Day the Third]

TEDALDO ELISEI, HAVING FALLEN OUT WITH HIS MISTRESS,
DEPARTETH FLORENCE AND RETURNING THITHER, AFTER AWHILE, IN A
PILGRIM'S FAVOUR, SPEAKETH WITH THE LADY AND MAKETH HER
COGNISANT OF HER ERROR; AFTER WHICH HE DELIVERETH HER
HUSBAND, WHO HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF MURDERING HIM, FROM DEATH
AND RECONCILING HIM WITH HIS BRETHREN, THENCEFORWARD
DISCREETLY ENJOYETH HIMSELF WITH HIS MISTRESS

Fiammetta being now silent, commended of all, the queen, to lose no
time, forthright committed the burden of discourse to Emilia, who
began thus: "It pleaseth me to return to our city, whence it pleased
the last two speakers to depart, and to show you how a townsman of
ours regained his lost mistress.

There was, then, in Florence a noble youth, whose name was Tedaldo
Elisei and who, being beyond measure enamoured of a lady called Madam
Ermellina, the wife of one Aldobrandino Palermini, deserved for his
praiseworthy fashions, to enjoy his desire. However, Fortune, the
enemy of the happy, denied him this solace, for that, whatever might
have been the cause, the lady, after comply