which was to do, they watched next morning for his coming forth of his
house, nor had he gone far when Nello accosted him, saying, 'Good-day,
Calandrino.' Calandrino answered God give him good day and good year,
and Nello, halting awhile, fell to looking him in the face; whereupon
Calandrino asked him, 'At what lookest thou?' Quoth the painter, 'Hath
aught ailed thee this night? Meseemeth thou are not thyself this
morning.' Calandrino incontinent began to quake and said, 'Alack, how
so? What deemest thou aileth me?' 'Egad,' answered Nello, 'as for that
I can't say; but thou seemest to me all changed; belike it is
nothing.' So saying, he let him pass, and Calandrino fared on, all
misdoubtful, albeit he felt no whit ailing; but Buffalmacco, who was
not far off, seeing him quit of Nello, made for him and saluting him,
enquired if aught ailed him. Quoth Calandrino, 'I know not; nay, Nello
told me but now that I seemed to him all changed. Can it be that aught
aileth me?' 'Ay,' rejoined Buffalmacco, 'there must e'en be something
or other amiss with thee, for thou appearest half dead.'

[Footnote 426: _i.e._ balls for a pellet bow, usually made out of
clay. Bruno and Buffalmacco were punning upon the double meaning, land
and earth (or clay), of the word _terra_.]

By this time it seemed to Calandrino that he had the fevers, when, lo,
up came Bruno and the first thing he said was, 'Calandrino, what
manner of face is this?' Calandrino, hearing them all in the same
tale, held it for certain that he was in an ill way and asked them,
all aghast, 'what shall I do?' Quoth Bruno, 'Methinketh thou wert best
return home and get thee to bed and cover thyself well and send thy
water to Master Simone the doctor, who is, as thou knowest, as our
very creature and will tell thee incontinent what thou must do. We
will go with thee and if it behoveth to do aught, we will do it.'
Accordingly, Nello having joined himself to them, they returned home
with Calandrino, who betook himself, all dejected, into the bedchamber
and said to his wife, 'Come, cover me well, for I feel myself sore
disordered.' Then, laying himself down, he despatched his water by a
little maid to Master Simone, who then kept shop in the Old Market, at
the sign of the Pumpkin, whilst Bruno said to his comrades, 'Abide you
here with him, whilst I go hear what the doctor saith and bring him
hither, if need be.' 'Ay, for God's sake, comrade mine,' cried
Calandrino, 'go thither a