s morning in the bed whither meseemed I saw her betake herself
yesternight; but I can find her neither there nor otherwhere and know
not what is come of her; wherefore I suffer the utmost concern. But
you, sir, can you not tell me aught of her?' Quoth he, 'Would I had
had thee together with her whereas I have had her, so I might have
punished thee of thy default, like as I have punished her for hers!
But assuredly thou shalt not escape from my hands, ere I have so paid
thee for thy dealings that thou shalt never more make mock of any man,
without remembering thee of me.' Then to his servant, 'Give her the
clothes,' quoth he, 'and bid her go to her mistress, an she will.' The
man did his bidding and gave the clothes to the maid, who, knowing
them and hearing what Rinieri said, was sore afraid lest they should
have slain her mistress and scarce refrained from crying out; then,
the scholar being done, she set out with the clothes for the tower,
weeping the while.

Now it chanced that one of the lady's husbandmen had that day lost two
of his swine and going in search of them, came, a little after the
scholar's departure, to the tower. As he went spying about everywhere
if he should see his hogs, he heard the piteous lamentation made of
the miserable lady and climbing up as most he might, cried out, 'Who
maketh moan there aloft?' The lady knew her husbandman's voice and
calling him by name, said to him, 'For God's sake, fetch me my maid
and contrive so she may come up hither to me.' Whereupon quoth the
man, recognizing her, 'Alack, madam, who hath brought you up yonder?
Your maid hath gone seeking you all day; but who had ever thought you
could be here?' Then, taking the ladder-poles, he set them up in their
place and addressed himself to bind the cross-staves thereto with
withy bands.[393] Meanwhile, up came the maid, who no sooner entered
the tower than, unable any longer to hold her tongue, she fell to
crying out, buffeting herself the while with her hands, 'Alack, sweet
my lady, where are you?' The lady, hearing her, answered as loudliest
she might, 'O sister mine, I am here aloft. Weep not, but fetch me my
clothes quickly.' When the maid heard her speak, she was in a manner
all recomforted and with the husbandman's aid, mounting the ladder,
which was now well nigh repaired, reached the sollar, where, whenas
she saw her lady lying naked on the ground, all forspent and wan, more
as she were a half-burnt log than a human b