nd he was gossip or friend or well-wisher[312] to
well nigh every one in the country.

[Footnote 311: _Cipolla_ means onion.]

[Footnote 312: The term "well-wisher" (_benivogliente_), when
understood in relation to a woman, is generally equivalent (at least
with the older Italian writers) to "lover." See ante, passim.]

One August among others he betook himself thither according to his
wont, and on a Sunday morning, all the goodmen and goodwives of the
villages around being come to hear mass at the parish church, he came
forward, whenas it seemed to him time, and said, 'Gentlemen and
ladies, it is, as you know, your usance to send every year to the poor
of our lord Baron St. Anthony of your corn and of your oats, this
little and that much, according to his means and his devoutness, to
the intent that the blessed St. Anthony may keep watch over your
beeves and asses and swine and sheep; and besides this, you use to
pay, especially such of you as are inscribed into our company, that
small due which is payable once a year. To collect these I have been
sent by my superior, to wit, my lord abbot; wherefore, with the
blessing of God, you shall, after none, whenas you hear the bells
ring, come hither without the church, where I will make preachment to
you after the wonted fashion and you shall kiss the cross; moreover,
for that I know you all to be great devotees of our lord St. Anthony,
I will, as an especial favour show you a very holy and goodly relic,
which I myself brought aforetime from the holy lands beyond seas; and
that is one of the Angel Gabriel's feathers, which remained in the
Virgin Mary's chamber, whenas he came to announce to her in Nazareth.'
This said, he broke off and went on with his mass.

Now, when he said this, there were in the church, among many others,
two roguish young fellows, hight one Giovanni del Bragioniera and the
other Biagio Pizzini, who, after laughing with one another awhile over
Fra Cipolla's relic, took counsel together, for all they were great
friends and cronies of his, to play him some trick in the matter of
the feather in question. Accordingly, having learned that he was to
dine that morning with a friend of his in the burgh, they went down
into the street as soon as they knew him to be at table, and betook
themselves to the inn where he had alighted, purposing that Biagio
should hold his servant in parley, whilst Giovanni should search his
baggage for the feather aforesaid, whate