the company
with her presence. Accordingly, she took her little son, who was very
handsome, in her arms and coming into the banqueting-hall, attended by
two serving-men seated herself, as Messer Gentile willed it, by the
side of a gentleman of high standing. Then said he, 'Gentlemen, this
is the thing which I hold and purpose to hold dearer than any other;
look if it seem to you that I have reason to do so.'

The guests, having paid her the utmost honour, commending her amain
and declaring to Messer Gentile that he might well hold her dear, fell
to looking upon her; and there were many there who had avouched her to
be herself,[451] had they not held her for dead. But Niccoluccio gazed
upon her above all and unable to contain himself, asked her, (Messer
Gentile having withdrawn awhile,) as one who burned to know who she
was, if she were a Bolognese lady or a foreigner. The lady, seeing
herself questioned of her husband, hardly restrained herself from
answering; but yet, to observe the appointed ordinance, she held her
peace. Another asked her if the child was hers and a third if she were
Messer Gentile's wife or anywise akin to him; but she made them no
reply. Presently, Messer Gentile coming up, one of his guests said to
him, 'Sir, this is a fair creature of yours, but she seemeth to us
mute; is she so?' 'Gentlemen,' replied he, 'her not having spoken at
this present is no small proof of her virtue.' And the other said,
'Tell us, then, who she is.' Quoth Messer Gentile, 'That will I
gladly, so but you will promise me that none, for aught that I shall
say, will budge from his place till such time as I shall have made an
end of my story.'

[Footnote 451: _i.e._ who would have recognized her as Madam
Catalina.]

All promised this and the tables being presently removed, Messer
Gentile, seating himself beside the lady, said, 'Gentlemen, this lady
is that loyal and faithful servant, of whom I questioned you awhile
agone and who, being held little dear of her folk and so, as a thing
without worth and no longer useful, cast out into the midward of the
street, was by me taken up; yea, by my solicitude and of my handiwork
I brought her forth of the jaws of death, and God, having regard to my
good intent, hath caused her, by my means, from a frightful corpse
become thus beautiful. But, that you may more manifestly apprehend how
this betided me, I will briefly declare it to you.' Then, beginning
from his falling enamoured of h