he world
and lived more merrily than other folk, as was indeed the case, he
questioned divers persons of their condition and hearing from all that
they were poor men and painters, he took it into his head that it
might not be they lived so blithely of their poverty, but concluded,
for that he had heard they were shrewd fellows, that they must needs
derive very great profits from some source unknown to the general;
wherefore he was taken with a desire to clap up an acquaintance, an he
might, with them both, or at least with one of them, and succeeded in
making friends with Bruno. The latter, perceiving, after he had been
with him a few times, that the physician was a very jackass, began to
give himself the finest time in the world with him and to be hugely
diverted with his extraordinary humours, whilst Master Simone in like
manner took a marvellous delight in his company.

[Footnote 397: The colour of the doctors' robes of that time.]

After a while, having sundry times bidden him to dinner and thinking
himself entitled in consequence to discourse familiarly with him, he
discovered to him the wonderment that he felt at him and Buffalmacco,
how, being poor men, they lived so merrily, and besought him to
apprise him how they did. Bruno, hearing this talk from the physician
and himseeing the question was one of his wonted witless
impertinences, fell a-laughing in his sleeve, and bethinking himself
to answer him according as his folly deserved, said, 'Doctor, there
are not many whom I would tell how we do; but you I shall not scruple
to tell, for that you are a friend and I know you will not repeat it
to any. It is true we live, my friend and I, as merrily and as well as
it appeareth to you, nay, more so, albeit neither of our craft nor of
revenues we derive from any possessions might we have enough to pay
for the very water we consume. Yet I would not, for all that, have you
think that we go steal; nay, we go a-roving, and thence, without hurt
unto any, we get us all to which we have a mind or for which we have
occasion; hence the merry life you see us lead.'

The physician, hearing this and believing it, without knowing what it
was, marvelled exceedingly and forthright conceiving an ardent desire
to know what manner of thing this going a-roving might be, besought
him very urgently to tell him, affirming that he would assuredly never
discover it to any. 'Alack, doctor,' cried Bruno, 'what is this you
ask me? This you wo