the night,
to tell us that thou art a strumpet, as if we knew thee not. But, by
God His faith, an they would be ruled by me, he should get such a
trouncing therefor that he should stink for it!' Then, turning to the
lady's brothers, 'My sons,' said she, 'I told you this could not be.
Have you heard how your fine brother-in-law here entreateth your
sister? Four-farthing[353] huckster that he is! Were I in your shoes,
he having said what he hath of her and doing that which he doth, I
would never hold myself content nor appeased till I had rid the earth
of him; and were I a man, as I am a woman, I would trouble none other
than myself to despatch his business. Confound him for a sorry drunken
beast, that hath no shame!'

[Footnote 353: Or, in modern parlance, "twopennny-halfpenny."]

The young men, seeing and hearing all this, turned upon Arriguccio and
gave him the soundest rating ever losel got; and ultimately they said
to him. 'We pardon thee this as to a drunken man; but, as thou
tenderest thy life, look henceforward we hear no more news of this
kind, for, if aught of the like come ever again to our ears, we will
pay thee at once for this and for that.' So saying, they went their
ways, leaving Arriguccio all aghast, as it were he had taken leave of
his wits, unknowing in himself whether that which he had done had
really been or whether he had dreamed it; wherefore he made no more
words thereof, but left his wife in peace. Thus the lady, by her ready
wit, not only escaped the imminent peril [that threatened her,] but
opened herself a way to do her every pleasure in time to come, without
evermore having any fear of her husband."

THE NINTH STORY

[Day the Seventh]

LYDIA, WIFE OF NICOSTRATUS, LOVETH PYRRHUS, WHO, SO HE MAY
BELIEVE IT, REQUIRETH OF HER THREE THINGS, ALL WHICH SHE
DOTH. MOREOVER, SHE SOLACETH HERSELF WITH HIM IN THE
PRESENCE OF NICOSTRATUS AND MAKETH THE LATTER BELIEVE THAT
THAT WHICH HE HATH SEEN IS NOT REAL

Neifile's story so pleased the ladies that they could neither give
over to laugh at nor to talk of it, albeit the king, having bidden
Pamfilo tell his story, had several times imposed silence upon them.
However, after they had held their peace, Pamfilo began thus: "I do
not believe, worshipful ladies, that there is anything, how hard and
doubtful soever it be, that whoso loveth passionately will not dare to
do; the which, albeit it hath already been demonstrat