s
gone,--the street where she abode, which was called Avorio, being very
solitary,--he should come to her house. On this wise they did many
times; but one morning, the good man having gone out and Giannello
Strignario (for so was the lover named) having entered the house and
being with Peronella, it chanced that, after awhile, the husband
returned home, whereas it was his wont to be abroad all day, and
finding the door locked within, knocked and after fell a-saying in
himself, 'O my God, praised be Thou ever! For, though Thou hast made
me poor, at least Thou hast comforted me with a good and honest damsel
to wife. See how she locked the door within as soon as I was gone out,
so none might enter to do her any annoy.'

Peronella, knowing her husband by his way of knocking, said to her
lover, 'Alack, Giannello mine, I am a dead woman! For here is my
husband, whom God confound, come back and I know not what this
meaneth, for never yet came he back hither at this hour; belike he saw
thee whenas thou enteredst here. But, for the love of God, however the
case may be, get thee into yonder vat, whilst I go open to him, and we
shall see what is the meaning of his returning home so early this
morning.' Accordingly, Giannello betook himself in all haste into the
vat, whilst Peronella, going to the door, opened to her husband and
said to him, with an angry air, 'What is to do now, that thou
returnest home so soon this morning? Meseemeth thou hast a mind to do
nought to-day, that I see thee come back, tools in hand; and if thou
do thus, on what are we to live? Whence shall we get bread? Thinkest
thou I will suffer thee pawn my gown and my other poor clothes? I, who
do nothing but spin day and night, till the flesh is come apart from
my nails, so I may at the least have so much oil as will keep our lamp
burning! Husband, husband, there is not a neighbour's wife of ours but
marvelleth thereat and maketh mock of me for the pains I give myself
and all that I endure; and thou, thou returnest home to me, with thy
hands a-dangle, whenas thou shouldst be at work.'

So saying, she fell a-weeping and went on to say, 'Alack, woe is me,
unhappy woman that I am! In what an ill hour was I born, at what an
ill moment did I come hither! I who might have had a young man of such
worth and would none of him, so I might come to this fellow here, who
taketh no thought to her whom he hath brought home! Other women give
themselves a good time with their