come and give them notice thereof, they stripped themselves
naked, all seven, and entered the lake, which hid their white bodies
no otherwise than as a thin glass would do with a vermeil rose. Then,
they being therein and no troubling of the water ensuing thereof, they
fell, as best they might, to faring hither and thither in pursuit of
the fish, which had uneath where to hide themselves, and seeking to
take them with the naked hand. After they had abidden awhile in such
joyous pastime and had taken some of the fish, they came forth of the
lakelet and clad themselves anew. Then, unable to commend the place
more than they had already done and themseeming time to turn homeward,
they set out, with soft step, upon their way, discoursing much of the
goodliness of the valley.

They reached the palace betimes and there found the young men yet at
play where they had left them; to whom quoth Pampinea, laughing. "We
have e'en stolen a march on you to-day." "How?" asked Dioneo. "Do you
begin to do deeds ere you come to say words?"[339] "Ay, my lord,"
answered she and related to him at large whence they came and how the
place was fashioned and how far distant thence and that which they had
done. The king, hearing tell of the goodliness of the place and
desirous of seeing it, caused straightway order the supper, which
being dispatched to the general satisfaction, the three young men,
leaving the ladies, betook themselves with their servants to the
valley and having viewed it in every part, for that none of them had
ever been there before, extolled it for one of the goodliest things in
the world. Then, for that it grew late, after they had bathed and
donned their clothes, they returned home, where they found the ladies
dancing a round, to the accompaniment of a song sung by Fiammetta.

[Footnote 339: Alluding to the subject fixed for the next day's
discourse, as who should say, "Have you begun already to play tricks
upon us men in very deed, ere you tell about them in words?"]

The dance ended, they entered with them into a discourse of the
Ladies' Valley and said much in praise and commendation thereof.
Moreover, the king, sending for the seneschal, bade him look that the
dinner be made ready there on the following morning and have sundry
beds carried thither, in case any should have a mind to lie or sleep
there for nooning; after which he let bring lights and wine and
confections and the company having somedele refreshed themsel