o boot, they had of him, for their pains, store of
dainty collations and other small matters of entertainment, so they
might be diligent about his affairs.

On this wise they kept him in play good two months, without getting a
step farther, at the end of which time, seeing the work draw to an end
and bethinking himself that, an he brought not his amours to an issue
in the meantime, he might never have another chance thereof, he began
to urge and importune Bruno amain; wherefore, when next the girl came
to the mansion, Bruno, having first taken order with her and Filippo
of what was to be done, said to Calandrino, 'Harkye, gossip, yonder
lady hath promised me a good thousand times to do that which thou
wouldst have and yet doth nought thereof, and meseemeth she leadeth
thee by the nose; wherefore, since she doth it not as she promiseth,
we will an it like thee, make her do it, will she, nill she.' 'Ecod,
ay!' answered Calandrino. 'For the love of God let it be done
speedily.' Quoth Bruno, 'Will thy heart serve thee to touch her with a
script I shall give thee?' 'Ay, sure,' replied Calandrino; and the
other, 'Then do thou make shift to bring me a piece of virgin
parchment and a live bat, together with three grains of frankincense
and a candle that hath been blessed by the priest, and leave me do.'
Accordingly, Calandrino lay in wait all the next night with his
engines to catch a bat and having at last taken one, carried it to
Bruno, with the other things required; whereupon the latter,
withdrawing to a chamber, scribbled divers toys of his fashion upon
the parchment, in characters of his own devising, and brought it to
him, saying, 'Know, Calandrino, that, if thou touch her with this
script, she will incontinent follow thee and do what thou wilt.
Wherefore, if Filippo should go abroad anywhither to-day, do thou
contrive to accost her on some pretext or other and touch her; then
betake thyself to the barn yonder, which is the best place here for
thy purpose, for that no one ever frequenteth there. Thou wilt find
she will come thither, and when she is there, thou knowest well what
thou hast to do.' Calandrino was the joyfullest man alive and took the
script, saying, 'Gossip, leave me do.'

Now Nello, whom Calandrino mistrusted, had as much diversion of the
matter as the others and bore a hand with them in making sport of him:
wherefore, of accord with Bruno, he betook himself to Florence to
Calandrino's wife and said to h