icing him not for a dinner he is minded to give certain gentlemen,
he would have me buy these other two. Wilt thou not come thither,
thou?' Quoth Ciacco, 'Thou knowest well that I shall be there.'

[Footnote 435: _i.e._ hog.]

[Footnote 436: Lit. a backbiter (_morditore_)].

Accordingly, whenas it seemed to him time, he betook himself to Messer
Corso's house, where he found him with sundry neighbours of his, not
yet gone to dinner, and being asked of him what he went doing,
answered, 'Sir, I am come to dine with you and your company.' Quoth
Messer Corso, 'Thou art welcome; and as it is time, let us to table.'
Thereupon they seated themselves at table and had, to begin with,
chickpease and pickled tunny, and after a dish of fried fish from the
Arno, and no more, Ciacco, perceiving the cheat that Biondello had put
upon him, was inwardly no little angered thereat and resolved to pay
him for it; nor had many days passed ere he again encountered the
other, who had by this time made many folk merry with the trick he had
played him. Biondello, seeing him, saluted him and asked him,
laughing, how he had found Messer Corso's lampreys; to which Ciacco
answered, 'That shalt thou know much better than I, ere eight days be
past.'

Then, without wasting time over the matter, he took leave of Biondello
and agreeing for a price with a shrewd huckster, carried him near to
the Cavicciuoli Gallery and showing him a gentleman there, called
Messer Filippo Argenti, a big burly rawboned fellow and the most
despiteful, choleric and humoursome man alive, gave him a great glass
flagon and said to him, 'Go to yonder gentleman with this flask in
hand and say to him, "Sir Biondello sendeth me to you and prayeth you
be pleased to rubify him this flask with your good red wine, for that
he would fain make merry somedele with his minions." But take good
care he lay not his hands on thee; else will he give thee an ill
morrow and thou wilt have marred my plans.' 'Have I aught else to
say,' asked the huckster; and Ciacco answered, 'No; do but go and say
this and after come back to me here with the flask and I will pay
thee.' The huckster accordingly set off and did his errand to Messer
Filippo, who, hearing the message and being lightly ruffled, concluded
that Biondello, whom he knew, had a mind to make mock of him, and
waxing all red in the face, said, 'What "rubify me" and what "minions"
be these? God land thee and him an ill year!' Then, starting t