ow I but maybe some enemy of mine hath procured
me this, whom she belike loveth and seeketh to oblige therein?' Then
said he, 'But, grant that neither of these things be and that her
kinsfolk are e'en for carrying me to her house, I must believe that
they want not Scannadio's body to hold it in their arms or to put it
in hers; nay, it is rather to be conceived that they mean to do it
some mischief, as the body of one who maybe disobliged them in
somewhat aforetime. She saith that I am not to say a word for aught
that I may feel. But, should they put out mine eyes or draw my teeth
or lop off my hands or play me any other such trick, how shall I do?
How could I abide quiet? And if I speak, they will know me and mayhap
do me a mischief, or, though they do me no hurt, yet shall I have
accomplished nothing, for that they will not leave me with the lady;
whereupon she will say that I have broken her commandment and will
never do aught to pleasure me.' So saying, he had well nigh returned
home; but, nevertheless, his great love urged him on with counter
arguments of such potency that they brought him to the tomb, which he
opened and entering therein, stripped Scannadio of his clothes; then,
donning them and shutting the tomb upon himself, he laid himself in
the dead man's place. Thereupon he began to call to mind what manner
of man the latter had been and remembering him of all the things
whereof he had aforetime heard tell as having befallen by night, not
to say in the sepulchres of the dead, but even otherwhere, his every
hair began to stand on end and himseemed each moment as if Scannadio
should rise upright and butcher him then and there. However, aided by
his ardent love, he got the better of these and the other fearful
thoughts that beset him and abiding as he were the dead man, he fell
to awaiting that which should betide him.

Meanwhile, Rinuccio, midnight being now at hand, departed his house,
to do that which had been enjoined him of his mistress, and as he
went, he entered into many and various thoughts of the things which
might possibly betide him; as, to wit, that he might fall into the
hands of the police, with Scannadio's body on his shoulders, and be
doomed to the fire as a sorcerer, and that he should, an the thing
came to be known, incur the ill-will of his kinsfolk, and other like
thoughts, whereby he was like to have been deterred. But after,
bethinking himself again, 'Alack,' quoth he, 'shall I deny this