lady, 'Needs must I sup and lie abroad to-night, wherefore
look thou lock the street-door fast, as well as that of the midstair
and that of thy chamber, and get thee to bed, whenas it seemeth good
to thee.' The lady answered, 'It is well,' and betaking herself, as
soon as she had leisure, to the hole in the wall, she made the wonted
signal, which when Filippo heard, he came to her forthright. She told
him how she had done that morning and what her husband had said to her
after dinner and added, 'I am certain he will not leave the house, but
will set himself to watch the door; wherefore do thou find means to
come hither to me to-night by the roof, so we may lie together.' The
young man was mightily rejoiced at this and answered, 'Madam, leave me
do.'

Accordingly, the night come, the jealous man took his arms and hid
himself by stealth in a room on the ground floor, whilst the lady,
whenas it seemed to her time,--having caused lock all the doors and in
particular that of the midstair, so he might not avail to come
up,--summoned the young man, who came to her from his side by a very
privy way. Thereupon they went to bed and gave themselves a good time,
taking their pleasure one of the other till daybreak, when the young
man returned to his own house. Meanwhile, the jealous man stood to his
arms well nigh all night beside the street-door, sorry and supperless
and dying of cold, and waited for the priest to come till near upon
day, when, unable to watch any longer, he returned to the ground floor
room and there fell asleep. Towards tierce he awoke and the street
door being now open, he made a show of returning from otherwhere and
went up into his house and dined. A little after, he sent a lad, as he
were the priest's clerkling that had confessed her, to the lady to ask
if she wot of were come thither again. She knew the messenger well
enough and answered that he had not come thither that night and that
if he did thus, he might haply pass out of her mind, albeit she wished
it not. What more should I tell you? The jealous man abode on the
watch night after night, looking to catch the priest at his entering
in, and the lady still had a merry life with her lover the while.

At length the cuckold, able to contain himself no longer, asked his
wife, with an angry air, what she had said to the priest the morning
she had confessed herself to him. She answered that she would not tell
him, for that it was neither a just thing nor a