ed by
her, so thereby she might know how he loved her and after, remembering
her of the promise made him and sealed with an oath, bethink herself,
as a loyal lady, to accomplish it to him.

The lady, seeing the fruits and flowers and having already from many
heard tell of the miraculous garden, began to repent of her promise.
Natheless, curious, for all her repentance, of seeing strange things,
she went with many other ladies of the city to view the garden and
having with no little wonderment commended it amain, returned home,
the woefullest woman alive, bethinking her of that to which she was
bounden thereby. Such was her chagrin that she availed not so well to
dissemble it but needs must it appear, and her husband, perceiving it,
was urgent to know the reason. The lady, for shamefastness, kept
silence thereof a great while; but at last, constrained to speak, she
orderly discovered to him everything; which Gilberto, hearing, was at
the first sore incensed, but presently, considering the purity of the
lady's intent and chasing away anger with better counsel, he said,
'Dianora, it is not the part of a discreet nor of a virtuous woman to
give ear unto any message of this sort nor to compound with any for
her chastity under whatsoever condition. Words received into the heart
by the channel of the ears have more potency than many conceive and
well nigh every thing becometh possible to lovers. Thou didst ill,
then, first to hearken and after to enter into terms of composition;
but, for that I know the purity of thine intent, I will, to absolve
thee of the bond of the promise, concede thee that which peradventure
none other would do, being thereto the more induced by fear of the
nigromancer, whom Messer Ansaldo, an thou cheat him, will maybe cause
make us woeful. I will, then, that thou go to him and study to have
thyself absolved of this thy promise, preserving thy chastity, if thou
mayst anywise contrive it; but, an it may not be otherwise, thou
shalt, for this once, yield him thy body, but not thy soul.'

The lady, hearing her husband's speech, wept and denied herself
willing to receive such a favour from him; but, for all her much
denial, he would e'en have it be so. Accordingly, next morning, at
daybreak, the lady, without overmuch adorning herself, repaired to
Messer Ansaldo's house, with two of her serving-men before and a
chamberwoman after her. Ansaldo, hearing that his mistress was come to
him, marvelled sore and