rving-maid of
hers that he should come speak with her at a very goodly country house
which her husband had at Camerata, where she sojourned all the summer
and whither Gianni came whiles to sup and sleep, returning in the
morning to his shop and bytimes to his Laudsingers.

[Footnote 340: See p. 144, note 2.]

Federigo, who desired this beyond measure, taking his opportunity,
repaired thither on the day appointed him towards vespers and Gianni
not coming thither that evening, supped and lay the night in all ease
and delight with the lady, who, being in his arms, taught him that
night a good half dozen of her husband's lauds. Then, neither she nor
Federigo purposing that this should be the last, as it had been the
first time [of their foregathering], they took order together on this
wise, so it should not be needful to send the maid for him each time,
to wit, that every day, as he came and went to and from a place he had
a little farther on, he should keep his eye on a vineyard that
adjoined the house, where he would see an ass's skull set up on one of
the vine poles, which whenas he saw with the muzzle turned towards
Florence, he should without fail and in all assurance betake himself
to her that evening after dark; and if he found the door shut he
should knock softly thrice and she would open to him; but that, whenas
he saw the ass's muzzle turned towards Fiesole, he should not come,
for that Gianni would be there; and doing on this wise, they
foregathered many a time.

But once, amongst other times, it chanced that, Federigo being one
night to sup with Mistress Tessa and she having let cook two fat
capons, Gianni, who was not expected there that night, came thither
very late, whereat the lady was much chagrined and having supped with
her husband on a piece of salt pork, which she had let boil apart,
caused the maid wrap the two boiled capons in a white napkin and carry
them, together with good store of new-laid eggs and a flask of good
wine, into a garden she had, whither she could go, without passing
through the house, and where she was wont to sup whiles with her
lover, bidding her lay them at the foot of a peach-tree that grew
beside a lawn there. But such was her trouble and annoy that she
remembered not to bid the maid wait till Federigo should come and tell
him that Gianni was there and that he should take the viands from the
garden; wherefore, she and Gianni betaking themselves to bed and the
maid likewise,