day have lost our child.'

The good simple man, hearing this, was like to swoon and said, 'How
so?' 'O husband mine,' answered Agnesa, 'there took him but now of a
sudden a fainting-fit, that methought he was dead, and I knew not what
to do or say; but just then Fra Rinaldo our gossip came in and taking
him in his arms, said, "Gossip, these be worms he hath in his body,
the which draw near to his heart and would infallibly kill him; but
have no fear, for I will conjure them and make them all die; and ere I
go hence, you shall see the child whole again as ever you saw him."
And for that we had need of thee to repeat certain orisons and that
the maid could not find thee, he caused his comrade say them in the
highest room of our house, whilst he and I came hither and locked
ourselves in, so none should hinder us, for that none other than the
child's mother might be present at such an office. Indeed, he hath the
child yet in his arms and methinketh he waiteth but for his comrade to
have made an end of saying the orisons and it will be done, for that
the boy is already altogether restored to himself.' The good simple
man, believing all this, was so straitened with concern for his child
that it never entered his mind to suspect the cheat put upon him by
his wife; but, heaving a great sigh, he said, 'I will go see him.'
'Nay,' answered she, 'thou wouldst mar that which hath been done.
Wait; I will go see an thou mayst come in and call thee.'

Meanwhile, Fra Rinaldo, who had heard everything and had dressed
himself at his leisure, took the child in his arms and called out, as
soon as he had ordered matters to his mind, saying, 'Harkye, gossip,
hear I not my gossip your husband there?' 'Ay, sir,' answered the
simpleton; whereupon, 'Then,' said the other, 'come hither.' The
cuckold went to him and Fra Rinaldo said to him, 'Take your son by the
grace of God whole and well, whereas I deemed but now you would not
see him alive at vespers; and look you let make a waxen image of his
bigness and set it up, to the praise and glory of God, before the
statue of our lord St. Ambrose, through whose intercession He hath
vouchsafed to restore him unto you.' The child, seeing his father, ran
to him and caressed him, as little children used to do, whilst the
latter, taking him, weeping, in his arms, no otherwise than as he had
brought him forth of the grave, fell to kissing him and returning
thanks to his gossip for that he had made him whole.