addressed herself to look if
she might see or hear any one near at hand, resolved, whatever might
betide thereof, to call him and crave aid. But of this resource also
had her unfriendly fortune deprived her. The husbandmen were all
departed from the fields for the heat, more by token that none had
come that day to work therenigh, they being all engaged in threshing
out their sheaves beside their houses; wherefore she heard nought but
crickets and saw the Arno, which latter sight, provoking in her desire
of its waters, abated not her thirst, but rather increased it. In
several places also she saw thickets and shady places and houses here
and there, which were all alike to her an anguish for desire of them.
What more shall we say of the ill-starred lady? The sun overhead and
the heat of the platform underfoot and the stings of the flies and
gads on every side had so entreated her that, whereas with her
whiteness she had overcome the darkness of the foregoing night, she
was presently grown red as ruddle,[391] and all bescabbed as she was
with blood, had seemed to whoso saw her the foulest thing in the
world.

[Footnote 391: Lit. red as rabies (_rabbia_). Some commentators
suppose that Boccaccio meant to write _robbia_, madder.]

As she abode on this wise, without aught of hope or counsel,[392]
expecting death more than otherwhat, it being now past half none, the
scholar, arising from sleep and remembering him of his mistress,
returned to the tower, to see what was come of her, and sent his
servant, who was yet fasting, to eat. The lady, hearing him, came, all
weak and anguishful as she was for the grievous annoy she had
suffered, overagainst the trap-door and seating herself there, began,
weeping, to say, 'Indeed, Rinieri, thou hast beyond measure avenged
thyself, for, if I made thee freeze in my courtyard by night, thou
hast made me roast, nay burn, on this tower by day and die of hunger
and thirst to boot; wherefore I pray thee by the One only God that
thou come up hither and since my heart suffereth me not give myself
death with mine own hands, give it me thou, for that I desire it more
than aught else, such and so great are the torments I endure. Or, an
thou wilt not do me that favour, let bring me, at the least, a cup of
water, so I may wet my mouth, whereunto my tears suffice not; so sore
is the drouth and the burning that I have therein.'

[Footnote 392: _i.e._ resource (_consiglio_). See ante, passim.]

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