there had been a
woman buried there that very day, and felt no whit of fear; wherefore
misdoubt you not of this, for I am but too stout of heart and lusty.
Moreover, I tell you that, to do you credit at my coming thither, I
will don my gown of scarlet, wherein I was admitted doctor, and we
shall see if the company rejoice not at my sight and an I be not made
captain out of hand. You shall e'en see how the thing will go, once I
am there, since, without having yet set eyes on me, this countess hath
fallen so enamoured of me that she is minded to make me a Knight of
the Bath. It may be knighthood will not sit so ill on me nor shall I
be at a loss to carry it off with worship! Marry, only leave me do.'
'You say very well,' answered Buffalmacco; 'but look you leave us not
in the lurch and not come or not be found at the trysting-place,
whenas we shall send for you; and this I say for that the weather is
cold and you gentlemen doctors are very careful of yourselves
thereanent.' 'God forbid!' cried Master Simone. 'I am none of your
chilly ones. I reck not of the cold; seldom or never, whenas I rise of
a night for my bodily occasions, as a man will bytimes, do I put me on
more than my fur gown over my doublet. Wherefore I will certainly be
there.'

Thereupon they took leave of him and whenas it began to grow towards
night, Master Simone contrived to make some excuse or other to his
wife and secretly got out his fine gown; then, whenas it seemed to him
time, he donned it and betook himself to Santa Maria Novella, where he
mounted one of the aforesaid tombs and huddling himself up on the
marble, for that the cold was great, he proceeded to wait the coming
of the beast. Meanwhile Buffalmacco, who was tall and robust of his
person, made shift to have one of those masks that were wont to be
used for certain games which are not held nowadays, and donning a
black fur pelisse, inside out, arrayed himself therein on such wise
that he seemed a very bear, save that his mask had a devil's face and
was horned. Thus accoutred, he betook himself to the new Piazza of
Santa Maria, Bruno following him to see how the thing should go. As
soon as he perceived that the physician was there, he fell a-capering
and caracoling and made a terrible great blustering about the piazza,
whistling and howling and bellowing as he were possessed of the devil.
When Master Simone, who was more fearful than a woman, heard and saw
this, every hair of his body stoo