s of Parthia
but that the roguish ladies laughed thereat, making believe to laugh
at otherwhat. But, when the king saw that his story was ended, he bade
Elisa tell, who accordingly, with obedient readiness, began, "Charming
ladies, Emilia's conjuration of the phantom hath brought to my memory
the story of another conjuration, which latter, though it be not so
goodly as hers, nevertheless, for that none other bearing upon our
subject occurreth to me at this present, I will proceed to relate.

You must know that there was once in Siena a very agreeable young man
and of a worshipful family, by name Rinaldo, who was passionately
enamored of a very beautiful lady, a neighbour of his and the wife of
a rich man, and flattered himself that, could he but find means to
speak with her unsuspected, he might avail to have of her all that he
should desire. Seeing none other way and the lady being great with
child, he bethought himself to become her gossip and accordingly,
clapping up an acquaintance with her husband, he offered him, on such
wise as appeared to him most seemly, to be godfather to his child. His
offer was accepted and he being now become Madam Agnesa's gossip and
having a somewhat more colourable excuse for speaking with her, he
took courage and gave her in so many words to know that of his intent
which she had indeed long before gathered from his looks; but little
did this profit him, although the lady was nothing displeased to have
heard him.

Not long after, whatever might have been the reason, it came to pass
that Rinaldo turned friar and whether or not he found the pasturage to
his liking, he persevered in that way of life; and albeit, in the days
of his becoming a monk, he had for awhile laid on one side the love he
bore his gossip, together with sundry other vanities of his, yet, in
process of time, without quitting the monk's habit, he resumed
them[345] and began to delight in making a show and wearing fine
stuffs and being dainty and elegant in all his fashions and making
canzonets and sonnets and ballads and in singing and all manner other
things of the like sort. But what say I of our Fra Rinaldo, of whom we
speak? What monks are there that do not thus? Alack, shame that they
are of the corrupt world, they blush not to appear fat and ruddy in
the face, dainty in their garb and in all that pertaineth unto them,
and strut along, not like doves, but like very turkey-cocks, with
crest erect and breast puffed o