whole matter to Buffalmacco,
wherefore it seemed to the latter a thousand years till they should
come to do that which this arch-zany went seeking. The physician, who
longed beyond measure to go a-roving, rested not till he made friends
with Buffalmacco, which he easily succeeded in doing, and therewithal
he fell to giving him, and Bruno with him, the finest suppers and
dinners in the world. The two painters, like the accommodating
gentlemen they were, were nothing loath to engage with him and having
once tasted the excellent wines and fat capons and other good things
galore, with which he plied them, stuck very close to him and ended by
quartering themselves upon him, without awaiting overmuch invitation,
still declaring that they would not do this for another. Presently,
whenas it seemed to him time, the physician made the same request to
Buffalmacco as he had made Bruno aforetime; whereupon Buffalmacco
feigned himself sore chagrined and made a great outcry against Bruno,
saying, 'I vow to the High God of Pasignano that I can scarce withhold
myself from giving thee such a clout over the head as should cause thy
nose drop to thy heels, traitor that thou art; for none other than
thou hath discovered these matters to the doctor.'

Master Simone did his utmost to excuse Bruno, saying and swearing that
he had learned the thing from another quarter, and after many of his
wise words, he succeeded in pacifying Buffalmacco; whereupon the
latter turned to him and said, 'Doctor mine, it is very evident that
you have been at Bologna and have brought back a close mouth to these
parts; and I tell you moreover that you have not learnt your A B C on
the apple as many blockheads are fain to do; nay, you have learned it
aright on the pumpkin, that is so long;[405] and if I mistake not,
you were baptized on a Sunday.[406] And albeit Bruno hath told me
that you told me that you studied medicine there, meseemeth you
studied rather to learn to catch men, the which you, with your wit and
your fine talk, know better to do than any man I ever set eyes on.'
Here the physician took the words out of his mouth and breaking in,
said to Bruno, 'What a thing it is to talk and consort with learned
men! Who would so have quickly apprehended every particular of my
intelligence as hath this worthy man? Thou didst not half so speedily
become aware of my value as he; but, at the least, that which I told
thee, whenas thou saidst to me that Buffalmacco deli