ed, 'I know not; but
he was before us but now.' 'But now, quotha!' cried Bruno. 'I warrant
you he is presently at home at dinner and hath left us to play the
fool here, seeking black stones down the Mugnone.' 'Egad,' rejoined
Buffalmacco 'he hath done well to make mock of us and leave us here,
since we were fools enough to credit him. Marry, who but we had been
simple enough to believe that a stone of such virtue was to be found
in the Mugnone?'

[Footnote 375: _i.e._ not strait-cut.]

Calandrino, hearing this, concluded that the heliotrope had fallen
into his hands and that by virtue thereof they saw him not, albeit he
was present with them, and rejoiced beyond measure at such a piece of
good luck, answered them not a word, but determined to return;
wherefore, turning back, he set off homeward. Buffalmacco, seeing
this, said to Bruno, 'What shall we do? Why do we not get us gone?'
Whereto Bruno answered, 'Let us begone; but I vow to God that
Calandrino shall never again serve me thus, and were I presently near
him as I have been all the morning, I would give him such a clout on
the shins with this stone that he should have cause to remember this
trick for maybe a month to come.' To say this and to let fly at
Calandrino's shins with the stone were one and the same thing; and the
latter, feeling the pain, lifted up his leg and began to puff and
blow, but yet held his peace and fared on. Presently Buffalmacco took
one of the flints he had picked up and said to Bruno, 'Look at this
fine flint; here should go for Calandrino's loins!' So saying, he let
fly and dealt him a sore rap in the small of the back with the stone.
Brief, on this wise, now with one word and now with another, they went
pelting him up the Mugnone till they came to the San Gallo gate, where
they threw down the stones they had gathered and halted awhile at the
custom house.

The officers, forewarned by them, feigned not to see Calandrino and
let him pass, laughing heartily at the jest, whilst he, without
stopping, made straight for his house, which was near the Canto alla
Macina, and fortune so far favoured the cheat that none accosted him,
as he came up the stream and after through the city, as, indeed, he
met with few, for that well nigh every one was at dinner. Accordingly,
he reached his house, thus laden, and as chance would have it, his
wife, a fair and virtuous lady, by name Mistress Tessa, was at the
stairhead. Seeing him come and somewhat prov