er, he particularly related to them
that which had passed until that time, to the great wonderment of the
hearers, and added, 'By reason of which things, an you, and especially
Niccoluccio, have not changed counsel since awhile ago, the lady is
fairly mine, nor can any with just title demand her again of me.' To
this none made answer; nay, all awaited that which he should say
farther; whilst Niccoluccio and the lady and certain of the others
who were there wept for compassion.[452]

[Footnote 452: _Compassione_, _i.e._ emotion.]

Then Messer Gentile, rising to his feet and taking the little child in
his arms and the lady by the hand, made for Niccoluccio and said to
him, 'Rise up, gossip; I do not restore thee thy wife, whom thy
kinsfolk and hers cast away; nay, but I will well bestow on thee this
lady my gossip, with this her little son, who I am assured, was
begotten of thee and whom I held at baptism and named Gentile; and I
pray thee that she be none the less dear to thee for that she hath
abidden near upon three months in my house; for I swear to thee,--by
that God who belike caused me aforetime fall in love with her, to the
intent that my love might be, as in effect it hath been, the occasion
of her deliverance,--that never, whether with father or mother or with
thee, hath she lived more chastely than she hath done with my mother
in my house.' So saying, he turned to the lady and said to her,
'Madam, from this time forth I absolve you of every promise made me
and leave you free [to return] to Niccoluccio.'[453] Then, giving the
lady and the child into Niccoluccio's arms, he returned to his seat.
Niccoluccio received them with the utmost eagerness, so much the more
rejoiced as he was the farther removed from hope thereof, and thanked
Messer Gentile, as best he might and knew; whilst the others, who all
wept for compassion, commended the latter amain of this; yea, and he
was commended of whosoever heard it. The lady was received in her
house with marvellous rejoicing and long beheld with amazement by the
Bolognese, as one raised from the dead; whilst Messer Gentile ever
after abode a friend of Niccoluccio and of his kinsfolk and those of
the lady.

[Footnote 453: Lit. I leave you free _of_ Niccoluccio (_libera vi
lascio di Niccoluccio_).]

What, then, gentle ladies, will you say [of this case]? Is, think you,
a king's having given away his sceptre and his crown or an abbot's
having, without cost to himself, rec