eighbourhood, he came back whereas he had dropped Alessandro and
groped about, to see if he could find him again, so he might make an
end of his service; but, finding him not and concluding that the
police had carried him off, he returned to his own house, woebegone,
whilst Alessandro, unknowing what else to do, made off home on like
wise, chagrined at such a misadventure and without having recognized
him who had borne him thither. On the morrow, Scannadio's tomb being
found open and his body not to be seen, for that Alessandro had rolled
it to the bottom of the vault, all Pistoia was busy with various
conjectures anent the matter, and the simpler sort concluded that he
had been carried off by the devils. Nevertheless, each of the two
lovers signified to the lady that which he had done and what had
befallen and excusing himself withal for not having full accomplished
her commandment, claimed her favour and her love; but she, making
believe to credit neither of this, rid herself of them with a curt
response to the effect that she would never consent to do aught for
them, since they had not done that which she had required of them."

THE SECOND STORY

[Day the Ninth]

AN ABBESS, ARISING IN HASTE AND IN THE DARK TO FIND ONE OF
HER NUNS, WHO HAD BEEN DENOUNCED TO HER, IN BED WITH HER
LOVER AND THINKING TO COVER HER HEAD WITH HER COIF, DONNETH
INSTEAD THEREOF THE BREECHES OF A PRIEST WHO IS ABED WITH
HER; THE WHICH THE ACCUSED NUN OBSERVING AND MAKING HER
AWARE THEREOF, SHE IS ACQUITTED AND HATH LEISURE TO BE WITH
HER LOVER

Filomena was now silent and the lady's address in ridding herself of
those whom she chose not to love having been commended of all, whilst,
on the other hand, the presumptuous hardihood of the two gallants was
held of them to be not love, but madness, the queen said gaily to
Elisa, "Elisa, follow on." Accordingly, she promptly began,
"Adroitly, indeed, dearest ladies, did Madam Francesca contrive to rid
herself of her annoy, as hath been told; but a young nun, fortune
aiding her, delivered herself with an apt speech from an imminent
peril. As you know, there be many very dull folk, who set up for
teachers and censors of others, but whom, as you may apprehend from my
story, fortune bytimes deservedly putteth to shame, as befell the
abbess, under whose governance was the nun of whom I have to tell.

You must know, then, that there was once in Lombardy a conv