ent, very
famous for sanctity and religion, wherein, amongst the other nuns who
were there, was a young lady of noble birth and gifted with marvellous
beauty, who was called Isabetta and who, coming one day to the grate
to speak with a kinsman of hers, fell in love with a handsome young
man who accompanied him. The latter, seeing her very fair and divining
her wishes with his eyes, became on like wise enamoured of her, and
this love they suffered a great while without fruit, to the no small
unease of each. At last, each being solicited by a like desire, the
young man hit upon a means of coming at his nun in all secrecy, and
she consenting thereto, he visited her, not once, but many times, to
the great contentment of both. But, this continuing, it chanced one
night that he was, without the knowledge of himself or his mistress,
seen of one of the ladies of the convent to take leave of Isabetta and
go his ways. The nun communicated her discovery to divers others and
they were minded at first to denounce Isabetta to the abbess, who was
called Madam Usimbalda and who, in the opinion of the nuns and of
whosoever knew her, was a good and pious lady; but, on consideration,
they bethought themselves to seek to have the abbess take her with the
young man, so there might be no room for denial. Accordingly, they
held their peace and kept watch by turns in secret to surprise her.

Now it chanced that Isabetta, suspecting nothing of this nor being on
her guard, caused her lover come thither one night, which was
forthright known to those who were on the watch for this and who,
whenas it seemed to them time, a good part of the night being spent,
divided themselves into two parties, whereof one abode on guard at the
door of her cell, whilst the other ran to the abbess's chamber and
knocking at the door, till she answered, said to her, 'Up, madam;
arise quickly, for we have discovered that Isabetta hath a young man
in her cell.' Now the abbess was that night in company with a priest,
whom she ofttimes let come to her in a chest; but, hearing the nuns'
outcry and fearing lest, of their overhaste and eagerness, they should
push open the door, she hurriedly arose and dressed herself as best
she might in the dark. Thinking to take certain plaited veils, which
nuns wear on their heads and call a psalter, she caught up by chance
the priest's breeches, and such was her haste that, without remarking
what she did, she threw them over her head, in